Surgery
General Information
The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) trains doctors to become surgeons in nine surgical specialities:
Workforce Projections
Total number of first year trainees by specialty and year in Australia
|
Specialty & Year |
CAR |
GEN |
NEU |
ORT |
OTO |
PAE |
PLA |
URO |
VAS |
Total |
|
2010 |
3 |
84 |
11 |
49 |
15 |
4 |
17 |
17 |
7 |
207 |
|
2009 |
9 |
96 |
9 |
63 |
25 |
7 |
10 |
25 |
9 |
253 |
|
2008 |
6 |
104 |
8 |
61 |
30 |
2 |
30 |
44 |
14 |
299 |
|
2007 |
3 |
95 |
1 |
46 |
18 |
3 |
21 |
21 |
8 |
216 |
|
2006 |
7 |
93 |
4 |
44 |
22 |
1 |
13 |
19 |
4 |
207 |
|
2005 |
4 |
94 |
7 |
45 |
15 |
1 |
10 |
17 |
2 |
193 |
Key:
CAR Cardiothoracic Surgery; GEN General Surgery; NEU Neurosurgery; ORT Orthopaedic Surgery; OTOOtolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery; PAE Paediatric Surgery; PLA Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; UROUrology Surgery; VAS Vascular Surgery
The anticipated attrition rate (of Fellows) is greater than the volume of graduating trainees. The public sector has reached capacity for surgical training posts In Australia, more than 60% of elective surgery is in the private sector. To address the pressures facing public health now and into the future training must be extended into the private sector.
It is conservatively estimated that 264 new surgeons will be needed each year between now and 2025. That is, in addition to the 184 new surgeons currently graduating each year, a further 80 will have to graduate alongside them.
Reference: RACS 2011: Surgical Workforce Projection to 2025 (for Australia)
Contact us
Medical Education Unit
Email: TPCH-Medical-Education@health.qld.gov.au
Phone: (07) 3139 4221