Cardio-Thoracic Surgery
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Competition
Very high
Qualification
FRACS (Cardiothoracic Surgery)
Training duration
6 years SET (SET1–SET6, twelve 6-month terms); up to 12 months of approved supervised research is creditable within the program
Applications
Single NATIONAL round administered directly by RACS via its Cardiothoracic Surgery Training Committee (not by ANZSCTS). Recurring annual pattern: RACS registration 6–30 January → application mid-February to late March (12 noon AEDT close) → interview mid-to-late June (recently the RACS Adelaide office) → first-round offers by 24 July, final offers by early November. Check surgeons.org.au for the current cycle.
Selection format
RACS publishes a numeric matrix out of 100: structured CV and procedural logbook 20% (max 14 raw points), a Unit-Based Competency Assessment 20% (a consensus rating from the consultants in one nominated cardiothoracic unit), and a semi-structured interview 60% (3+ panels, 3+ stations of 20 minutes). Combined CV and unit-assessment rank decides who is interviewed — only the top 36. The top 16 by interview score then go to a reference check whose marks form an adjustment factor that multiplies the final score. Minimum standards apply at each stage.
When to apply
No single PGY floor. Eligibility: general (unconditional) AHPRA (or MCNZ general-scope) registration; a GSSE and RACS Clinical Examination pass by application close (the Clinical Examination is being removed from the 2028 intake); at least 12 months of cardiothoracic experience in the last 7 years in 6-month blocks at PGY3+; at least 12 months of other surgical rotations at PGY2+; AU/NZ citizenship or permanent residency; and Operating with Respect. The stacked experience means most applicants are well past PGY3.
Competition
One of the smallest national intakes of any RACS specialty — only 6–13 posts per year across Australia and New Zealand (2019–2025), against a fixed shortlist of just 36 interview places. RACS does not publish total applicant counts, so an exact applicant-per-place ratio cannot be quoted.
Selection criteria
Clinical experience
Rotations, logbooks, procedures, and exposure
- Cardiothoracic experience — at least 12 months in the last 7 years in 6-month-minimum blocks at PGY3+, in an Australian or New Zealand public hospital
- Non-cardiothoracic surgery — at least 12 months of other surgical rotations at PGY2+ in 10-week-minimum terms (tightening to PGY3+ and 3-month terms from 2027 applications)
- Procedural logbook — minimum 10 sternotomies, 50 conduits (including 10 radial harvests), 10 chest drains, 50 first-assist cardiac cases, and 20 first-assist thoracic cases within 7 years
- Unit-Based Competency Assessment — 20% of the score; a consensus rating from the consultants (not locums) in one nominated cardiothoracic unit you worked in for 12+ months in the last 7 years
Rural & regional
Rural, regional, and remote experience
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACS.
First Nations
Selection points and pathways for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Māori applicants
- First Nations — the RACS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander selection initiative reserves 1 post for the 2027 intake for AIDA-eligible applicants meeting the minimum standards
Academic
Exams, qualifications, courses, and teaching
- Courses — RACS EMST (or ATLS) and CCrISP must be evidenced at application; ASSET is completed during SET1 training, not a selection prerequisite
Publications & research
Papers, impact factor, audits, and QI
- Research — one scored first-author publication (tiered by the journal impact factor) plus one oral presentation; a higher-tier journal scores more than volume
Extracurricular
Leadership and roles beyond clinical work
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACS.
Distinction
Prizes, awards, and academic standing
Nothing captured yet — verify with RACS.
Eligibility & application
Prerequisites, referees, interviews, and fees
- Eligibility — pass the Generic Surgical Sciences Examination (GSSE) and RACS Clinical Examination by application close; general AHPRA or MCNZ registration; Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency; Operating with Respect
- Structured CV — 20% of the score, max 14 points (a publication, an oral presentation, additional qualifications, Te Ao Māori involvement, and rurality)
- Interview — 60% of the score (3+ panels, 3+ stations of 20 minutes); only the top 36 applicants ranked on combined CV and unit assessment are interviewed
- Referee check — the top 16 by interview score go to a reference check; 2 of your 3–5 nominated referees (consultants you worked under for 12+ months) are contacted at random
- Fees and attempts — AUD $655 registration plus a $920 (Australia) or $1,135 (New Zealand) selection processing fee; maximum 3 interviewed attempts from the 2026 round
Entry tips
Sourced from Australian medical community discussion. Always verify with RACS.
Recent updates
Verified against the RACS 2026 Cardiothoracic Surgery Selection Regulations (approved 6 Nov 2025) and CV scoresheet: selection is run directly by RACS (via its Cardiothoracic Surgery Training Committee), not by ANZSCTS. The matrix is CV and logbook 20%, unit-based competency assessment 20%, and interview 60%, with the reference check applied as an adjustment factor; only the top 36 are interviewed and the top 16 progress to reference check.
Advance notice in the regulations: the RACS Clinical Examination is being removed as a selection prerequisite from the 2027 selection round (2028 intake), and the non-cardiothoracic surgical-experience requirement tightens from PGY2+ in 10-week terms to PGY3+ in 3-month terms from the 2027 applications. A maximum of 3 interviewed attempts applies from the 2026 round.
Current cycle (2027 intake): RACS registration 6–30 January 2026, application 18 February – 26 March 2026, interviews 19 June 2026 at the RACS Adelaide office; first-round offers by 24 July 2026.
Indicative only. Check the RACS website for current information.
Official resources
RACS Cardiothoracic Surgery (SET)
RACS specialty eligibility page — dates, past intake numbers, and links to the Regulations and CV scoresheet
RACS Generic Eligibility for Selection
RACS-wide prerequisites — registration, GSSE, citizenship, Operating with Respect
RACS Cardiothoracic Training Program
The 6-year SET1–SET6 structure, courses, exams, and research/thesis
ANZSCTS
Professional society for cardiac and thoracic surgeons — trainee education and annual meeting (does not run SET selection)
Medical Board — Specialist Registration
MBA specialist registration pathways
State workforce data
Queensland Health’s medi-nav is the only state health department currently publishing the workforce and selection figures this section shows. We have not verified equivalent data for Western Australia yet — the selection criteria and requirements above apply Australia-wide regardless of state. See the Queensland figures.
Community discussions
Recent discussion about Cardio-Thoracic Surgery training from Australian doctors.
Search r/ausdocs and r/doctorsofaustraliaRequirements, windows, and criteria change annually. Verify with Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) before making career decisions. Report an error on this page.