Orthopaedic Surgery

Time limit

9 years

To finish the program, from the start of training

Leave

6 weeks

At most in each 6-month training period, all kinds counted together

Part time

Half time

At least, in any training year

• Training has three stages. Introduction to Orthopaedics is your first 12 months to 2 years, with a focus on trauma. Core Orthopaedics is at least the next 2 years, across general orthopaedics. Transition to Practice is at least the final year, preparing for independent practice
• The 9 years run from your first day of training. An interruption for illness or parental leave is not counted, and part-time training does not extend the limit
• The 6 weeks covers annual, personal, sick, compassionate, parental, carer's, study, exam and conference leave. More needs the regional training committee chair's approval in advance, up to 12 weeks, and more than 12 weeks becomes an interruption
• Leave over the limit without approval can mean the training period does not count toward your training time

• Accredited posts257 in Australia, in the hospitals of the seven training regions, and 3 at Shriners Hospital for Children in Portland, United States
• Overseas rotationEach year four trainees spend 6 months in paediatric orthopaedics at Shriners Hospital for Children, observing under the direct supervision of its surgeons
• Your employerThe health service or hospital of the post you are allocated employs you, and your offer depends on that employment

What every accredited orthopaedic post must give you each week

Clinical sessions

6 or more

Half-day sessions a week

Operating lists

3 or more

Half-day lists a week with a consultant rostered to each, or 2 in a paediatric post

Clinics

1 or more

Half-day sessions a week assessing new patients and following others up, with a consultant

On call

1 in 3

At most, on the on-call roster, with a consultant supervising

• You manage your own ward patients, with at least one consultant ward round a week
• Rosters: no more than 14 continuous hours excluding on-call, at least 8 hours of rest off site in every 24, and two full days free of all duty every 14 days

Consultants

3

At least, orthopaedic surgeons in each accredited department

Trainee supervisor

1

For each post, on site at least one day a week

Director of training

5

Trainees at most, overseeing your training at the hospital

• The trainee supervisor is an AOAThe Australian Orthopaedic Association, which runs orthopaedic selection and training in Australia for RACS. Fellow who meets you at the start of each rotation, teaches and assesses you day to day, and leads your 3-monthly performance appraisal. The director of training leads your 6-monthly progress review

Orthopaedic Principles and Basic Sciences ExaminationThe Australian Orthopaedic Association's first examination, on the basic sciences of orthopaedic surgery, marked pass or fail

Year 1

Passed in your first stage, Introduction to Orthopaedics

Fellowship ExaminationThe Royal Australasian College of Surgeons' final examination in orthopaedic surgery, at the standard of a consultant in the first year of practice

Year 3

At the earliest, after 18 months of Core Orthopaedics, your second stage

• The Orthopaedic Principles and Basic Sciences Examination is two papers of 100 true or false questions, 2.5 hours each, on consecutive days, held in June and October
• The Fellowship Examination is written papers, then a clinical and viva part. It runs twice a year: written papers in March or August, then the clinical and viva part in May or in September to October

Feedback entriesA written record, which you log, of feedback a consultant gave you on your work

1 a week

At least, logged throughout training

Performance appraisalsA meeting with your trainee supervisor at the end of each 3 months, who reviews your assessments and eLog, discusses your performance and gives an overall rating

Every 3 months

With your trainee supervisor, in Introduction and Core Orthopaedics

Progress reviewsA review with your director of training at the end of each 6 months, recorded on a progress review form, of how you are progressing through your stage

Every 6 months

With your director of training, in every stage

Orthopaedic modulesOne area of orthopaedics, such as trauma, the knee or the hip, completed when your workplace-based assessments show you are competent in it

11

All completed by the end of Core Orthopaedics

• A workplace-based assessment is a consultant watching you work and scoring what they see, with feedback

Research pathway

1

Project, coursework or PhD, chosen in Introduction to Orthopaedics and finished by the end of Transition to Practice

• The project pathway is a full research project relevant to orthopaedic surgery, such as a trial or a cohort study, with an approved supervisor and proposal, presented at the AOAThe Australian Orthopaedic Association, which runs orthopaedic selection and training in Australia for RACS. Annual Scientific Meeting or an equivalent
• The coursework pathway is a masters, graduate diploma or graduate certificate with two of clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, research methods and evidence-based medicine, then a smaller project such as a systematic review or clinical audit

Skills courses

3

Care of the Critically Ill Surgical Patient, Training in Professional Skills and Advanced Trauma Life Support

Bone School

Weekly

Regional lectures and tutorials, attended throughout Core Orthopaedics

Clinical meetings

1 a week

At least, at your hospital, to discuss cases with consultants

• Bone Camp is the short residential course that starts training. Bone School is the weekly AOAThe Australian Orthopaedic Association, which runs orthopaedic selection and training in Australia for RACS. teaching program in each region, with in-training examinations, trial examinations and clinical sessions
• Advanced Trauma Life Support was called Early Management of Severe Trauma until the end of 2025