In its submission to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), co-signed by the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA), RACS says the change poses risks to public safety, patient understanding, and professional standards. It also contradicts Section 115A of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, which restricts the use of the title ‘surgeon’ to those who have completed extensive surgical training.
RACS President Kerin Fielding says the legislation makes it clear that terms like ‘surgical’ or ‘surgeon’ should be reserved for those who have undergone comprehensive, medically recognised specialist surgical training.
"These terms are protected by law and describe specialists who have completed rigorous, lengthy surgical education and training. Allowing non-surgical professionals to use these terms risks misleading patients about the qualifications and expertise of the person providing their care”.
Associate Professor Fielding says the College is particularly concerned that patients may not fully understand the difference between a ‘surgical podiatrist’ and a medically trained surgeon. Instead of ‘surgical podiatrist’, RACS has suggested alternative titles such as ‘procedural podiatrist’ or ‘podiatric proceduralist’. These titles more accurately reflect the scope of practice for podiatrists without using terms that are typically associated with surgeons.
RACS also raised concerns that adopting this new title could lead to increased legal scrutiny and risks for podiatric practitioners, as well as confusion about the distinction between different types of medical professionals.