RACS courses coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs

We are aiming to deliver as many courses as possible although some venues have fewer places available due to ongoing government physical distancing guidelines. Priority has been given to mandatory courses for Trainees and Fellows. Please see our Professional Development and Skills Training course pages for more information.

We acknowledge that COVID-19 has changed the way we work and how we will be able to deliver courses. We continue to explore alternative course formats such as hybrid and blended learning, and development is near completion for several offerings.

Most courses have resumed in a classroom and/or laboratory environment. Please be reassured that RACS will comply with local guidelines and regulations including screening, physical distancing and hygiene.

For courses July-December 2021 the Skills Training Department will confirm the registration release dates in Autumn 2021.

Please join the Skills Training mailing list for the latest updates:
Skills Training courses mailing list

We are making every effort to run courses safely. The planning process is complex, and some courses may not proceed. If you are currently registered on a course, please wait for advice from the College regarding the status of your course.

We are making every effort to run courses safely. The planning process is complex, and should pandemic conditions escalate in a region some courses may not proceed. Please wait for confirmation from the course coordinator before you book flights and accommodation, you can expect to receive this confirmation four weeks prior to course commencement. 

RACS is not responsible for any costs incurred by event participants including, but not limited to, flights, transportation, accommodation, and any other fees and charges.

Access information about travel restrictions.

We ask that you follow current government guidelines if you are not feeling well or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 including coughing etc. If you are feeling unwell, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss your attendance. Refunds will be considered on a case by case basis.

Cancellation and withdrawal policies will apply as per the relevant policy for that event. These can be found on the RACS website at: https://www.surgeons.org/about-racs/policies

If the event is cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19, RACS will refund participants the event registration fee. If an attendee is not able to attend the event for compassionate reasons (e.g. sickness, death in family, COVID requirements (like isolation or work restrictions)) the registration fee will be refunded. This will be determined on a case by case basis, please contact us as soon as possible if you are not able to attend the event.

Please note there may be administration costs that are non-refundable.
RACS is not responsible for any costs incurred by event participants including, but not limited to, flights, transportation, accommodation, and any other fees and charges.

Due to the complexities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, RACS encourages all applicants to attend a local course where possible. Some regions are very limited on course offerings and where possible RACS will prioritise local attendees in these regions. Please note RACS reserves the right to withdraw a registrant who is registered to a course outside the region where they reside in favour of a local applicant if required.

Yes, you can register for our courses. However please bear in mind the complex evolving nature of COVID-19 laws and restrictions which may mean you are unable to attend some courses. 

We encourage all participants to register for a local course to reduce unnecessary travel. RACS is not responsible for any costs incurred by the participant due to cancellation, changes to, disruption of or inability to conduct the course. This includes, but is not limited to, flights, transportation, accommodation, mandatory quarantine costs and any other fees and charges.

The safety of our stakeholders is our highest priority. Each venue and course will have specific regulations for screening, physical distancing and hygiene. We will operate within the current government public safety guidelines.

Course registration closes once the course is full or three weeks prior to course commencement. This is to allow adequate revision and preparation time. In some instances, when courses have not filled, we will leave the registration open for a bit longer. 

We will continue to monitor course registrations and endeavour to add new dates to meet demand.

Please register for our mailing lists via the links below and we will contact you to advise when places become available for registration on courses.

Skills Training courses mailing list

Professional Development courses mailing list

The safety of our stakeholders is our highest priority, we are communicating with the appropriate health department in each region (Australia and New Zealand) to engage them in RACS plans for safe course delivery.

Each region will have regulations for screening, physical distancing and hygiene. We will operate within the local government guidelines.

In line with COVID-19 Education Principles approved by the Board of Surgical Education and Training (BSET), Trainees and SIMGs will not be penalised if they are unable to meet mandatory requirements such as a Skills Training course. As required, RACS will extend the time in training programs and SIMG placements by up to 12 months to ensure requirements can be met. Mandatory groups will continue to be prioritised.

Our courses rely on many factors which include travel by our volunteer faculty, venue availability and capacity to meet government regulations. We have a wide range of courses across many regions although it is not always possible to deliver in every region.

We will keep our mailing list informed with updates about additional courses.

Yes, please view the RACS COVID-19 Event Safe Strategy (PDF 187.59KB). Note this document will be updated regularly as required.