Fellowship Examination

Overview

The Fellowship examination is a summative assessment undertaken towards the end of each Surgical Education and Training program or as a requirement of a SIMG assessment. The examination is comprised of written and clinical/viva components. In each specialty, there are seven segments in total, with most being divided into two written papers and five clinical/viva segments.

The required standard for this examination is a level of competency equivalent to that of a consultant surgeon in his or her first year of independent practice. The surgical competencies espoused by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons are used as a guideline for the examiners who follow agreed marking guidelines and the predetermined standard. The examination is blueprinted to each specialty's curriculum.

Registration for April/May 2025

Registrations open - Thursday 9 January 2025 at 12pm (Noon) AEDT
Registrations close - Thursday 30 January 2025 at 12pm (Noon) AEDT

General Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery only:
Due to limited availability of exams places in Australia, registration for General Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery will be on a first-come, first-served basis.  Candidates who miss out on an examination place in Australia must register for the examination in New Zealand. 

No registration will be accepted after the closing date/time stipulated above.

Exam Dates April/May 2025

Written Component
3 April 2025 (Multiple locations)

Clinical/Vivas Component in Auckland, AoNZ
General Surgery & Orthopaedic Surgery only
Examination Dates:
Saturday 24 May to Sunday 25 May 2025
Result Release and Presentation of successful candidates to the Court of Examiners:
Monday 26 May 2025

Clinical/Vivas Component in Brisbane, Australia
All Specialties
Examination Dates:
Saturday May 31 to Sunday June 1 2025; except for PRS which will run from Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June 2025.
Result Release and Presentation of successful candidates to the Court of Examiners:
Monday 2 June 2025

Shorter Examination Delivery Days

From 2025, the clinical/viva component of the exam will be delivered across two days, Saturday and Sunday, except for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery examinations, which will run from
Friday to Sunday.  The results release and presentation to the Court will take place on the following Monday.

Written Examination as a pre-requisite to the Clinical/Viva

From 2025, the Fellowship Examination will be uncoupled, i.e. the Written and Clinical/Viva components will be examined separately. All candidates will need to achieve a pass in the Written component of the Fellowship Examination before progressing to the Clinical/Viva component of the exams.

1) Candidates who meet the standard for a Pass in the Written exams in their specialty will be invited to sit the Clinical/Viva exams. 

2) Candidates who do not meet the standard for a Pass in two written segments will not be progress to the Clinical/ Viva exams. These candidates will receive a refund of the examination fee for the Clinical/Viva Component.

3) Candidates who fail one written segment and fail the overall exam must re-sit the written component in the next exam.

4) Candidates who pass all written segments but do not pass the overall exam will receive a One-Time Exemption from sitting the written components at next scheduled exam, allowing them to progress directly to the clinical/viva component.

Important Note: As candidates will no longer automatically progress to the clinical/viva component of the examination due to recent changes, we advise all candidates to book flexible/refundable flights and accommodation for the clinical/viva examination component.

RACS is not responsible for any costs incurred by candidates to attend the examination including, but not limited to, flights, transportation, accommodation, and any other fees and charges.