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  4. Flexible training

Flexible training

Flexible training refers to less than full time training and may be of interest to all Trainees, regardless of gender. 

On this page

  • Flexible training toolkit
  • First hand experiences
  • Experiences of flexible surgical training - RACS Post Op Podcast
  • Further information for interested Trainees

RACS supports flexible surgical training. It increases diversity in the surgical workforce by increasing the appeal of surgical training to more candidates and enables Trainees to broaden their focus and pursue wider interests while training.

Flexible training refers to less than full time training and may be of interest to all Trainees, regardless of gender. Increasing numbers of surgical Trainees in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand are benefiting from training in a flexible manner.

Flexible training toolkit

This information aims to assist surgeons and Trainees to create flexible training posts, including suggestions about opportunities, challenges and solutions. It draws on the expertise and experience of many of the Fellows and Trainees who have already made flexible training a reality in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Download the toolkit (PDF 2.2MB). 

 

First hand experiences

If you’re interested in the perspective of surgeons and Trainees who have made less than full time roles work well, read these interviews: 

  • Professor Deborah Bailey, proactively set up a stand-alone flexible role
  • Dr Adelene Houlton, senior Trainee in a flexible role, who supervised a full time unaccredited registrar
  • Dr Melissa Bochner, Mr Robert Whitfield and Dr Eu Ling Neo – getting the most out of an established flexible, stand-alone role
  • Mr Jonathon Karpelowsky, former Chair of the Board of Paediatric Surgery, on job share and flexible roles.

Experiences of flexible surgical training - RACS Post Op Podcast

Flexible training increases diversity in the surgical workforce by enabling Trainees to broaden their experience and pursue wider interests and opportunities while progressing towards Fellowship. The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Trainees' Association (RACSTA) supports trainees pursue more flexible training if required.

In this episode of the RACS Post Op Podcast we hear from two surgeons who have taken advantage of flexible training: Dr Winnie Gill, a Hepatobiliary Fellow at Royal Melbourne Hospital; and Dr Tim Sladden, a general surgery SET 2 Gen Search Trainee at Brisbane’s Mater Hospital.

Further information for interested Trainees

If you’re a Trainee keen to talk with a colleague who’s had first-hand experience with less than full time training, RACSTA can put you in touch with other Trainees who have completed some of their training in flexible roles. Just email [email protected] to arrange this.

Please note that maximum training time still applies. If you need information about the maximum training time for your specialty and how flexible training will impact your unique situation, please contact your specialty training board directly.
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