Surgical Education and Training (SET)

Introduction

Excellence in education and training as the foundation for good patient care is the primary characteristic which distinguishes the work of fully trained and qualified Plastic Surgeons.

Following the completion of a medical degree (MBBS), some doctors choose to specialize and compete for limited training posts in one of the nine specialty surgical areas governed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS).

Plastic Surgeons maintain a dedication to teaching and learning throughout their careers. As trainee Plastic Surgeons (Registrars), they are highly capable and successful students who seek knowledge and experience to progress their surgical field. As fully qualified plastic surgeons, they are also master instructors who are motivated by a strong ethic to contribute to the education and training of the next generation of Plastic Surgeons.

Plastic Surgeons are integral to the public hospital system which enables both a learning and teaching environment. Some private hospital settings also provide teaching opportunities for plastic surgery trainees. All trainee plastic surgeons are provided with opportunities to participate in a wide range of reconstructive and cosmetic procedures, providing both life sustaining and quality of life enhancing surgical care to all patients. Through their research, all Plastic Surgeons make scientific contributions to advance the body of knowledge relevant to the specialty.

RACS Surgical Education and Training Program (SET)

RACS is the only training institution accredited by the Commonwealth Government through the Australian Medical Council (AMC) officially authorised to provide surgical training for the nine specialist areas of medicine, including Plastic Surgery.

The Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is responsible for developing the training program and the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) provides administrative support.

Successful applicants begin their five years of training in the RACS Surgical Education and Training (SET) program in January. Each year of training is divided into two surgical terms. Trainees advance from general surgical assisting to undertaking more advanced plastic surgical procedures. Trainees always work under supervision.

Trainees maintain logs of all reconstructive and cosmetic procedures either observed or undertaken. RACS Training Supervisors review and sign off on these logs. These documents serve as a record of surgical workload and are used to monitor current training and guide future training placements.

Training milestones and opportunities for assessment are frequent and accelerate the learning process. Trainees undergo major examinations during their first, second and final training years. Examinations are augmented by mandatory annual conferences and performance assessments.

High achievers in the training program are rewarded through overseas training opportunities at leading institutions, research scholarships, and funding to attend conferences.

Plastic Surgery Trainees who complete the five year Surgical Education and Training Program and succeed in the examinations are eligible to be awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS Plast). A FRACS (Plast) award provides a range of career opportunities in both public and private settings.

More information on the SET Program can be found on the RACS Website.