There are nine surgical specialties:

• Cardiothoracic Surgery: focuses on the heart, chest and lungs
• General Surgery: covers a wide area with sub-specialties such as breast surgery and gastro-intestinal surgery and colorectal surgery
• Neurosurgery: deals with pathology of the brain and spinal cord
• Orthopaedic Surgery: involves diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of injuries, disorders and diseases of the body's bones and muscles
• Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery: ear, nose and throat surgery, often referred to as ENT
• Paediatric Surgery: encompasses all aspects of children's surgery
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: deals with reconstructive and reshaping surgery and burns in all parts of the body
• Urology: deals with treatment of diseases in the urinary tract, including the bladder, kidneys and prostate
• Vascular Surgery: focuses on maintaining or restoring blood flow via arteries and veins all over the body

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. RACS supports the ongoing development, maintenance of expertise and lifelong learning that accompanies the surgical practice of more than 8,000 surgeons and 1,300 surgical Trainees and Specialist International Medical Graduates.

The Northen territory has a satellite office and no physical offices, please refer to the below contact details

The table below indicates current training positions available in the NT. Please use this as a guide only and refer to the relevant health service and RACS for current accredited training posts.

✓ Training available
Note: To be used as a guide only - refer to the relevant health service and RACS for current training post accreditation options.

RACS offers a variety of short courses for doctors to upskill in a range of medical and professional skills

• ASSET: Australia and New Zealand Surgical Skills Education and Training
• CCrISP®: Care of the Critically Ill Surgical Patient
• CLEAR: Critical Literature Evaluation and Research
• EMST: Early Management of Severe Trauma
• TIPS: Training in Professional Skills

The JDocs Framework and ePortfolio provides a comprehensive online curriculum, and a basis for junior doctors interested in a career in surgery or other procedural specialties.

Selection into Surgical Education and Training (SET) is a competitive process which occurs annually. Applications are scored and applicants with the highest scores are offered places in the SET program.

• Completion of a medical degree from a recognised University and general medical registration to be able practise as a doctor in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand
• The earliest point at which you may be able to apply to enter the RACS SET program is during your third postgraduate year (PGY3) after university so that you are able to achieve the prerequisites for the individual surgical specialty you apply to
• Generic Surgical Sciences Exam (GSSE) must be passed either at the time of registration or by the close of SET applications. Refer to the relevant specialty selection regulations for confirmation of when this requirement must be met
• Completion of either the Operating with Respect eModule (retired late 2023) or Introduction to Operating with Respect              
• Specialty Specific eligibility requirements. Some specialties require applicants to have passed the RACS Clinical Examination (CE) at the time of registration. Refer to the relevant specialty selection regulations to confirmation if this is an applicable registration requirement. 

The following pathways are available to Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs) depending on what stage they are at in their career.

The Specialist Pathway is for Specialist International Medical Graduates (SIMGs) in one of the following categories:

• Specialist recognition: overseas-trained specialists applying for assessment or comparability to the standard of a specialist trained in that specialty in Australia
• Area of Need: overseas-trained specialists applying for an area of need specialist level position in Australia

Surgical Trainees work and train in hospitals under the supervision of experienced surgeons. The training year begins in February in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The training program usually takes 4-6 years depending on the surgical speciality. The main components of SET program are:

• Clinical placements (or rotations) in accredited hospital training posts
• Short courses
• Research
• Assessments – including generic or specialty specific work-based assessments and examinations (generic or specialty-specific)