Orthopaedic Surgery

An orthopaedic surgeon is a medical professional who specialises in diagnosing, treating, preventing and rehabilitating musculoskeletal injuries and diseases, both surgically and non-surgically, in people of all ages.

Minimum Time to Completion: 8 years from graudation

Details

How to Apply

Eligibility Requirements

RACS Generic Eligibility Requirements:

Medical registration
- In Australia: General (unconditional) registration, or
- In Aotearoa New Zealand: General scope or restricted general scope registration in the relevant specialty
Permanent residency or citizenship of Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand
You must have completed either the Operating with Respect eModule (retired late 2023) or Introduction to Operating with Respect. Both online courses are provided by the RACS Professional Development team. Note: Only one of these courses needs to be completed to meet this eligibility requirement.
Generic Surgical Sciences Exam (GSSE) must be passed either at the time of registration or by the close of SET applications.

Orthopaedic Surgery Eligibility Requirements:

Completion of at least 26 working weeks of orthopaedic surgical experience within the last two
(2) years, at PGY 3 or higher.
Successful completion of the Generic Surgical Sciences Exam (GSSE).
Successful completion of a state-licenced Radiation Safety Course.

Application Process

Registration

Register with RACS
Apply to the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA)

Application
Applications must be submitted via the AOA online application systems. Application includes the following components:

Personal Profile
Eligibility Criteria
Rurality
Curriculum Vitae
Professional Experience
Regional Preferences
Application Fee
Applicant’s Statement

Applicants must attach documentary evidence for all claims made on their application.

For more information on the Application and Selection process click here.

Program Structure

The Orthopaedics Surgery Advanced Training program is structured in three sections:

Introduction to Orthopaedics (12-18 months)
Core Orthopaedics (36 months)
Transition to Consultant Practice (12 months)

Further information regarding the curriculum can be found here.

Fees

Annual Fee:

AUD $4,360.00

Exam Fee:

GSSE: AUD $4,720.00
Clinical: AUD $5,525.00
Specialty Surgical Sciences exam: AUD $2,355.00
Orthopaedic Principles & Basic Science Examination Fee: AUD $3,54.00
Fellowship exam: AUD $10,465.00

Registration Fee:

AUD $583.00

Useful Resources / Courses / Conferences

Research/Book Chapters/Diploma of Surgical Anatomy/Masters/PhD

Key Information

PGY Intake Year (earliest)

PGY4

Training Duration (minimum)

5 years FTE

General Progression

Note that this represents one of the quickest routes to specialty training, and may not reflect additional HMO or unaccredited years of training.

Year 1

Internship

Year 2

Surgical HMO Year

Year 3

Surgical HMO / Unaccredited Registrar Year

Year 4

Commence Orthopaedics Advanced Training (PGY4+)

Part Time Option: Yes

Last Updated: December 4, 2024

The information found in this portal has been painstakingly collated by JMOs for JMOs, and is intended as a career progression guide for every aspiring JMO. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information presented on this website, but recent changes made by Specialist Medical Colleges may not be reflected in real time; please consult with the respective Specialist Medical College websites for the latest information. PMCV and JMO Victoria accepts no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. Please feel free to contact our team with suggestions or comments via the feedback form.