How do I become a surgeon?

Firstly, complete a medical degree at an Australian or Aotearoa New Zealand university.

After university, people who intend to apply to a medical specialty generally undertake one or more years of clinical work and training. This is often called 'pre-vocational' training.

To support junior doctors interested in surgical training, RACS has developed the JDocs Framework and ePortfolio. This provides a comprehensive online curriculum, and a basis for junior doctors interested in a career in surgery or other procedural specialties

JDocs by RACS

Specialty medical training - or postgraduate vocational training - is attained under the auspices of a specialist medical college, like the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS).

Surgical trainees work and train in hospitals under the supervision of experienced surgeons. The training year begins in February in Aotearoa New Zealand and in Australia. The main components of SET training are:

• placements (or rotations) in hospital posts
• short courses - College run skills courses and specialty-specific courses
• research - each specialty has research requirements
• assessments - including work-based assessments and generic and specialty-specific examinations

Successful completion of a specialty medical training program results in fellowship of the specialty and is an endorsement that the fellow may practise independently in that specialty. All medical practitioners must maintain the currency of their skills and knowledge through continuing professional development.

Selection requirements
If your application to enter SET is successful (see the College's selection requirements for further information), you will train in one of the College's nine surgical specialties:

This training occurs primarily in public hospitals and generally takes five to six years. Following successful completion of the SET, you will be eligible to apply to sit for the Fellowship examination.  Following successful completion of the Fellowship examination, you will become a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) and will be accredited to practise independently as a consultant surgeon.

Subscription to the JDocs portfolio will enable you to access educational resources, aligned to the JDocs Framework and document your medical career in readiness for application SET. You will also have access to SET mandatory resources. General Surgery also offers subscription to their website for prevocational doctors interested in a career in general surgery.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are underrepresented both in the health workforce and as Fellows and Trainees of the College. The College’s Indigenous Health Committee is working with the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association and the Māori Medical Practitioners Association of Aotearoa to implement its plan to promote surgery as a career to Indigenous communities. For more information about the College’s Closing the Gap initiatives, please take a look at the activities of the Indigenous Health Committee.

Further information about the steps to take when starting a surgical career, as well as what to expect before, during and after training, can be found on the College’s website.

Medical Education in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand

Medical education in Australia and New Zealand (PDF 1021.81KB) is an overview of the four stages of Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand medical education and the organisations involved.

Essential Surgical Skills

Essential Surgical Skills (PDF 1.15MB) recommends skills to be gained by the end of PGY2, prior to entry into SET and for General Practice Proceduralists. This guide will also be useful for

• Medical students and pre-vocational doctors - to build a portfolio in preparation for application to surgical training
• Hospital supervisors - to assist in providing relevant clinical experiences for residents intending to apply for SET
• Educators - to assist in developing learning resources relevant for SET.