The RACS exams explained: format, timing and how they are passed

The FRACS is awarded by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. On the way, general surgery trainees sit 2 examinations: Generic Surgical Sciences Examination; Fellowship Examination – General Surgery. Here is how each is put together and how it is passed.

Generic Surgical Sciences Examination

When: Before SET as a selection requirement, or within the first 2 clinical years of SET.

Exams 1 and 2

Exam 1 Anatomy: 60 MCQs + 20 spot tests, 150 min · Exam 2 Pathology and Physiology: 125 MCQs, 150 min, next day

How it is passed: You need the minimum score in each of anatomy, pathology and physiology as well as the overall minimum; failing any one fails the exam.

Fellowship Examination – General Surgery

When: End of SET, pitched at a consultant in the first year of independent practice.

Papers 1 and 2

Paper 1: 25 image spots · Paper 2: 8 short answer questions · each 120 min + 10 min reading

How it is passed: Each question is marked pass or fail; a clear pass is 18 of 25 spots and 6 of 8 short answers. Fail both papers and you cannot sit the clinicals that sitting.

Vivas and clinicals

3 vivas (operative, critical care and reasoning, imaging and anatomy) + 2 electronic clinicals (2 medium cases, 5 short cases) · no reading time

How it is passed: The exam has 7 equally weighted segments (2 papers, 3 vivas, 2 clinicals): pass all 7 to pass, 5–6 goes to the Specialty Court, 3 or more failed is a fail.

What the exams draw on

Anatomy (head and neck, limbs, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, CNS) (50–50% of the paper)
Physiology (25–25% of the paper)
Pathology, microbiology, pharmacology and statistics (25–25% of the paper)

Answers are expected to reflect Australian and New Zealand practice. The references the questions assume include: RACS surgical competencies and the General Surgery SET curriculum (GSA and NZAGS); EMST (ATLS equivalent), CCrISP, ASSET, CLEAR and DSTC courses; ANZASM (Australian and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality); Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic (surgical prophylaxis, intra-abdominal infection); Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care: Australian Open Disclosure Framework; National Blood Authority Patient Blood Management Guidelines (critical bleeding and massive transfusion); Cancer Council Australia and eviQ guidelines; BreastScreen Australia; ASERNIP-S reviews, RACS position papers, ANZ Journal of Surgery.

Formats change. Always confirm the current format, eligibility and dates on the RACS website before you sit.

Where do you stand?

Thirty questions across every area, scored by area with a plain verdict. Free.

Am I ready? Free check →Read a marked sample

Next: Why candidates lose marks in the RACS exams →

Not affiliated with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.