Entry Requirements

• Must have permanent residency or citizenship of Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand 
• Must have general (unconditional) registration with the Medical Board of Australia or general scope registration or restricted general scope registration in Neurosurgery in Aotearoa New Zealand.  
• Completion of PGY2 

• Completion of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) Hand Hygiene Learning Module 
• Completion of the RACS “Operating with Respect” eLearning module and Completion of the Generic Surgical Sciences exam 
• Neurosurgery Specific Eligibility Criteria:
  • Must have completed a minimum of 24 weeks full-time equivalent dedicated neurosurgical experience in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand in the three years immediately prior to application in a public hospital with a neurosurgical department 
  • Must have satisfactorily completed the RACS Generic Surgical Sciences Examination at the time of application.  

• Refer to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons  for further information on selection and/or eligibility 

Total Training Time

Total: 5 years (full-time)

• First Level – Basic Neurosurgical Training (one (1) full time training year)  
• Second Level – Intermediate Neurosurgical Training (three (3) full time training years)  

• Third Level – Advanced Neurological Training (one (1) full time training year)  
• Maximum time to complete training is nine (9) years from the commencement of training 

How to Apply

• The responsibility of the administration and recruitment for the Neurosurgical Education and Training (SET) program of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) has been delegated to the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia (NSA). 

• Applicants must first register with RACS in accordance with the Registration for SET Selection policy. 
• Applicants must also apply for selection to the NSA via the neurosurgery online application form. 
• Queensland Health offers a central allocations program for SET 1 Principal House Officer (PHO) applications in General Surgery through the RMO Campaign. 
• Selection to SET 2-5 Neurosurgery Registrar positions in Queensland is managed by the RACS and the NSA. 
• Applicants who are successful with RACS and NSA will need to apply to the Queensland Health RMO Campaign for an employment contract to be issued by the allocated facility. 

Application Deadline

RACS Registration opens – January each year  

Neurosurgery Applications open – March each year  

Dates change each year, please visit the NSA website for more information.  

Frequently Asked Questions