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Medical Officers' Careers Guide: Orthopaedics

Specialty

Advantages of starting a career at TPCH

  • Potential for PHO position
  • High level of consultant input
  • Complex patients
  • Busy
  • Plenty of opportunities for theatre experience
  • Research opportunities
  • Frequent interaction with geriatricians around the management of complex patients

Training Overview

Entry requirements to Training Program

  • General unrestricted Registration
  • Citizenship or Permanent Residency
  • Currently, need to be in your second postgraduate year [PGY2] but this will be changing in 2015 to PGY3+ and Primary Examination prior to entry

 Overview of Training Program

  • Trainees undertake specialty surgical training through the Surgical Education and Training (SET) program
  • Trainees require an accredited training post within a hospital (public or private)
  • Trainees move through multiple hospitals, including Metropolitan and Regional
  • Usually takes at least five (5) or six (6) years

 What rotations are recommended prior to applying for training

Compulsory:

  • Completion of an eight (8) week postgraduate term in an Emergency Unit
  • Completion of at least 26 working weeks of orthopaedic surgical experience within the last two (2) years) at PGY 3 or higher.
  • Any other rotations are suitable but Emergency, General Medicine, Plastic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Neurosurgery or General Surgery are recommended

 How to improve your chances of selection

 The criteria which contribute points towards selection are found at http://www.aoa.org.au/orthopaedic-training

Areas include:

  • Surgical and medical experience
  • Skills courses
  • Postgraduate anatomy
  • Higher education qualifications
  • Research presentation
  • Research publications
  • Leadership

Links

TPCH has current College accreditation for three (3) advanced training positions

FAQs

These questions will vary from Program to Program as thought to be most relevant.   If you have any suggestions as to how the information on this site can be improved, please comment.

Workforce Projections

  • Very competitive to get on SET
  • The number of new trainees chosen each year depending on the numbers finishing training
  • Can be PHO for 2-4 years depending on number of trainees finishing

Contact Us

Medical Education Unit
Email:   TPCH-Medical-Education@health.qld.gov.au
Phone: 3139 4221

Editor:  Dr Scott Crawford, Director of Orthopaedic Surgery

Reviewed: March 2018