How do I become a podiatric surgeon?
In order to become a Commonwealth accredited podiatric surgeon, it is necessary to become a Fellow of the ACPS. Fellowship of the ACPS is granted after the successful completion of a three-stage training program. This program will take a minimum equivalent of a three years full time training to complete. Practical assessment is competency based, rather than time based, which means that candidates must train until they reach appropriate levels of knowledge and skill before they can progress.
The Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons (ACPS) aims to attract and select candidates who are not only capable of developing technical proficiency in foot and ankle surgery but who also possess the personal attributes necessary to establish and sustain successful relationships with patients. The ACPS acknowledges that a good surgeon is an effective communicator who must display compassion, empathy, honesty and integrity. The philosophy of the ACPS is to seek candidates who are committed to quality and safety in healthcare; who are dedicated to achieving high standards of patient care and display a capacity to exercise sound clinical and ethical judgment.
Admission to the ACPS training program
Selection into the training programme is governed by the principles of equal opportunity, and will be based solely on merit. Only those applicants who meet the entrance criteria will be considered for appointment to the ACPS surgical training programme. Where the ACPS is unable to identify a sufficient number of qualified candidates to fill the quota of positions in any given year, places will remain vacant.
Presently in Australia, there is a limited number of training positions for podiatric surgeons, with a particular lack of positions available in the public sector. For this reason, a training position may not become available in any given year. Entry into the ACPS training programme is highly competitive and applicants should be aware that not all podiatrists seeking will be successful in obtaining a training position.
The selection process is a vehicle that identifies the abilities, qualifications, experience and emotional intelligence of applicants that would enable them to perform all the required duties of a podiatric surgical registrar, achieve all the objectives of the training program and become a skilled and highly competent podiatric surgeon. A summary of the selection process is given in flowchart one on this page.
Prerequisites for admission into the training program are summarised below, and are covered in more detail in the ACPS training document, which is available at the bottom of this page. Prerequisites include:
The ACPS training program overview
The ACPS training program is a three-stage process, which is summarised in flowchart two on this page. Further details are available in the ACPS training document, which is available at the bottom of this page. Training is both practical and theoretical, and includes the following activities and practices:
International Applicants for the ACPS Fellowship program
Internationally trained podiatric surgeons may apply to the ACPS for Fellowship. Such applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and may qualify for advanced standing within the training program. Application forms for international podiatric surgeons are available on request. However all international applicants should read the frequently asked questions section on this website prior to considering application.
Research
The ACPS places an important emphasis on research. As part of the Fellowship training program, candidates are expected to conduct and participate in research activities, and to publish the results of this research in the scientific literature.
In order to become a Commonwealth accredited podiatric surgeon, it is necessary to become a Fellow of the ACPS. Fellowship of the ACPS is granted after the successful completion of a three-stage training program. This program will take a minimum equivalent of a three years full time training to complete. Practical assessment is competency based, rather than time based, which means that candidates must train until they reach appropriate levels of knowledge and skill before they can progress.
The Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons (ACPS) aims to attract and select candidates who are not only capable of developing technical proficiency in foot and ankle surgery but who also possess the personal attributes necessary to establish and sustain successful relationships with patients. The ACPS acknowledges that a good surgeon is an effective communicator who must display compassion, empathy, honesty and integrity. The philosophy of the ACPS is to seek candidates who are committed to quality and safety in healthcare; who are dedicated to achieving high standards of patient care and display a capacity to exercise sound clinical and ethical judgment.
Admission to the ACPS training program
Selection into the training programme is governed by the principles of equal opportunity, and will be based solely on merit. Only those applicants who meet the entrance criteria will be considered for appointment to the ACPS surgical training programme. Where the ACPS is unable to identify a sufficient number of qualified candidates to fill the quota of positions in any given year, places will remain vacant.
Presently in Australia, there is a limited number of training positions for podiatric surgeons, with a particular lack of positions available in the public sector. For this reason, a training position may not become available in any given year. Entry into the ACPS training programme is highly competitive and applicants should be aware that not all podiatrists seeking will be successful in obtaining a training position.
The selection process is a vehicle that identifies the abilities, qualifications, experience and emotional intelligence of applicants that would enable them to perform all the required duties of a podiatric surgical registrar, achieve all the objectives of the training program and become a skilled and highly competent podiatric surgeon. A summary of the selection process is given in flowchart one on this page.
Prerequisites for admission into the training program are summarised below, and are covered in more detail in the ACPS training document, which is available at the bottom of this page. Prerequisites include:
- An accredited degree in podiatry (4 years equivalent)
- A minimum 2 years of postgraduate podiatric clinical practice.
- Enrolment in an accredited Masters degree. Accredited Masters degrees may be offered in Australia or elsewhere.
- Submission of curriculum vitae and reference checks.
- Written examination.
- Interview.
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| Flow Chart 1. (Click image to enlarge) | Flow Chart 2. (Click image to enlarge) |
The ACPS training program overview
The ACPS training program is a three-stage process, which is summarised in flowchart two on this page. Further details are available in the ACPS training document, which is available at the bottom of this page. Training is both practical and theoretical, and includes the following activities and practices:
- Lectures.
- Case studies.
- Skills development courses.
- Clinical rotations.
- International preceptorship training (UK and USA).
- Peer review activities.
- Progressive development of preoperative, perioperative and postoperative skills.
- Mentoring.
- Research and preparation of publications.
International Applicants for the ACPS Fellowship program
Internationally trained podiatric surgeons may apply to the ACPS for Fellowship. Such applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and may qualify for advanced standing within the training program. Application forms for international podiatric surgeons are available on request. However all international applicants should read the frequently asked questions section on this website prior to considering application.
Research
The ACPS places an important emphasis on research. As part of the Fellowship training program, candidates are expected to conduct and participate in research activities, and to publish the results of this research in the scientific literature.
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Application for Training Position |
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Application for Training Position |
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| Contact ACPS for a schedule of fees relating to applications. | |
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| The Approved Masters List is currently under review | |
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| Internationally trained podiatric surgeons may apply to the ACPS for Fellowship application forms which are available on request. |
