Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons RACS is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in Australia

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) is a non-profit organisation training surgeons and maintaining surgical standards in Australia and New Zealand. RACS supports the ongoing development, maintenance of expertise and lifelong learning that accompanies the surgical practice of more than 7,000 surgeons and 1,300 surgical trainees and International Medical Graduates. Please note that use

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A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Hobart for the Trauma in the Older Person Symposium (TOPs) 2026.The day br...
04/09/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Hobart for the Trauma in the Older Person Symposium (TOPs) 2026.

The day brought together health care professionals from across emergency medicine, surgery and allied health to explore the complexities of trauma care in older people. From expert presentations and multidisciplinary discussions to practical workshops and case-based learning, delegates shared knowledge, challenged thinking and strengthened connections, all with the goal of improving outcomes for older patients.

Thank you to our Convenors, speakers, facilitators, sponsors and attendees for making TOPs 2026 such a valuable and engaging event. We look forward to continuing these important conversations and translating learning into practice.

A great day at our Management of CBD Stones hands-on workshop in Hobart today, in the lead up to our Tasmanian Annual Sc...
04/09/2026

A great day at our Management of CBD Stones hands-on workshop in Hobart today, in the lead up to our Tasmanian Annual Scientific Meeting.

Participants gained practical experience in patient selection, stone retrieval techniques, managing operative challenges, equipment and theatre setup, and integrating LCBDE into multidisciplinary biliary services.

Thank you to Convenor Dr Arun Dhir and facilitators Dr Russell Hodgson and Dr David Bird for sharing their expertise and making the day such a success.

A big thank you to Johnson & Johnson MedTech for supporting the learning, development and growth of attendees at .Suppo...
03/09/2026

A big thank you to Johnson & Johnson MedTech for supporting the learning, development and growth of attendees at .

Support from industry partners helps us create more opportunities for participants to engage, learn and experience surgery in a practical and interactive way — and it means a great deal to have Johnson & Johnson MedTech supporting this work.

If you’re attending the conference, make sure you stop by the RACS stand for some hands-on fun and the chance to test your skills!

We look forward to seeing you there.

RACS is proud to once again support the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA) Conference as a conference par...
03/09/2026

RACS is proud to once again support the Australian Indigenous Doctors' Association (AIDA) Conference as a conference partner.

We are honoured to stand alongside AIDA in celebrating and strengthening the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors, medical students, and communities.

Throughout the conference, you’ll find us at our exhibition booth, where our team looks forward to connecting with participants. We'll be running skills stations at the stand throughout the conference, competitions for lapsim tasks, giveaways and we're here to answer your questions and have a yarn.

“CPD also helps surgeons stay open to new techniques and evidence throughout their careers.” – Associate Professor Sarah...
02/09/2026

“CPD also helps surgeons stay open to new techniques and evidence throughout their careers.” – Associate Professor Sarah Rennie.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) keeps surgeons connected to the latest evidence, technology and best practice. In the latest Surgical News, Associate Professor Sarah Rennie explains how ongoing learning supports clinical excellence, strengthens patient trust and helps ensure high standards of care across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Read full article in Surgical News: https://bit.ly/4xRqacd

Australia has enough doctors. The challenge is making sure they can progress through training into the specialist workfo...
01/09/2026

Australia has enough doctors. The challenge is making sure they can progress through training into the specialist workforce communities need.

New Commonwealth modelling highlights a growing mismatch between the doctors coming through the system, specialist training capacity and the workforce communities need.

RACS says Australia needs to build better pathways into specialist training and increase high-quality accredited training capacity where it is needed, while maintaining the high standards required for safe, high-quality surgical care.

For the parts of the surgical training pathway within the College’s control — selection, accreditation and surgical training — RACS is focused on making pathways more transparent, fairer and more efficient through the Surgical Pathways Strategy.

Governments and health services also have a critical role in providing the funded positions, clinical capacity and supervision needed for specialist training.

“We cannot create more training positions on our own,” says RACS President Dr Philip Morreau.

Read our full statement: https://www.surgeons.org/News/media-releases/RACS-says-better-pathways-into-specialist-training-are-needed

In this issue of Surgical News, meet ENT surgeon Dr Rithvik Reddy, whose work is transforming lives through hearing rest...
01/09/2026

In this issue of Surgical News, meet ENT surgeon Dr Rithvik Reddy, whose work is transforming lives through hearing restoration. After helping perform Australia's first simultaneous cochlear implant procedure on twin infants, Dr Reddy shares what FRACS means to him—lifelong learning, mentorship, compassion and the unseen preparation behind every patient outcome. His story is a powerful reminder of the unseen work behind every successful patient outcome.

Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4gkWD30

And just like that, we conclude the 2026 RACS NT, WA & SA Tristate Annual Scientific Meeting.Day two in Darwin was just ...
28/08/2026

And just like that, we conclude the 2026 RACS NT, WA & SA Tristate Annual Scientific Meeting.

Day two in Darwin was just as packed with thought-provoking discussion, practical insights and connection as day one.

Today’s program continued to explore the theme of Outreach & Reaching Out.

The da Vinci robotic system was a real crowd-pleaser, with delegates getting the chance to get hands-on with the technology and put its capabilities to the test.

In a session on breaking bias and building diversity in surgery, Dr Sarah Gray reflected that “the old surgical mold is breaking, and it’s about time.”

She reminded us that excellence and individuality can go hand in hand, and that the future of surgery — particularly for rural patients — belongs to those willing to redefine it.

Dr Bridget Clancy highlighted an essential part of practising across geographically dispersed teams: “We need to get a lot better at communicating and collaborating in virtual and geographically dispersed teams.”

And Dr Ailene Fitzgerald, in her session on supporting Specialist International Medical Graduates, reinforced that while the regulatory environment may be changing, Fellowship standards are not, with RACS strengthening governance and assessment systems to safeguard those standards.

A fitting way to close two days focused on reaching out, working together and shaping the future of surgery.

Thank you to everyone who made the Tristate ASM such a success, including Convener and RACS Northern Territory Chair Dr Ravi Mahajani, and to our record 220+ delegates for making Darwin such a vibrant place for surgical conversation and connection.

Looking for your next RACS event? Check out our College calendar: https://www.surgeons.org/conferences-events/college-calendar-of-events

Day one in Darwin. And what a day it was.The 2026 RACS NT, WA & SA Tristate Annual Scientific Meeting is well underway, ...
27/08/2026

Day one in Darwin. And what a day it was.

The 2026 RACS NT, WA & SA Tristate Annual Scientific Meeting is well underway, with a program exploring the realities and opportunities of surgical practice beyond the major centres.

From outreach and disaster response to place-based care, global health, remote care and the challenges of building a surgical workforce in regional and rural Australia, there has been plenty to think about and discuss.

And, of course, plenty of time to connect with colleagues and enjoy Darwin. The meeting got underway last night with a welcome function at Speakers Green at Darwin Parliament House, setting the scene for a great few days.

A theme that came through strongly today was that good surgical care is never delivered in isolation. As Professor Hemi Patel reminded attendees this afternoon: “Managing risk is a shared responsibility.”

A lot to reflect on as we head into day two. Find out more about the event including Friday's program: https://surgeons.eventsair.com/nt-wa-sa-tristate-asm-2026/

But first, it's time to continue the conversations at tonight's ASM dinner.

Kicking off in Darwin.The 2026 RACS NT, WA & SA Tristate Annual Scientific Meeting is underway, bringing together a reco...
27/08/2026

Kicking off in Darwin.

The 2026 RACS NT, WA & SA Tristate Annual Scientific Meeting is underway, bringing together a record number of delegates — more than 220 in total. Great to see the room full as Fellows, Trainees, Specialist International Medical Graduates and medical students come together from across the region and beyond.

Over the next few days, we'll explore this year's theme, Outreach & Reaching Out, and hear from colleagues about the realities, challenges and opportunities of surgical practice in rural and remote Australia.

Here's RACS Vice President Dr Christine Lai providing a College update, including on CPD and our journey towards the RACS Centenary in 2027.

Welcome to Darwin, everyone or follow along from home. We hope it's a great few days of learning, connection and conversation.

Find out more about the event: https://surgeons.eventsair.com/nt-wa-sa-tristate-asm-2026/

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