Fast track your career in surgery
About us
The University is ranked first in Australia and 33rd in the world for surgery in the U.S. News Top Global Universities Subject Rankings 2020. The discipline is also the largest academic surgical department in Australasia.
Find out more.The University is ranked first in Australia and fourth in the world for graduate employability in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020.
Learn more
In response to COVID-19, the University of Sydney has reviewed the availability of courses to be delivered remotely for students commencing their studies in Semester 1, 2021.
This course will be available to study remotely for students commencing in Semester 1, 2021. Please note that some units of study that are not essential to completing the degree may not be available to be studied remotely.
Note: The University intends to offer as many units of study as possible in a remote as well as face-to-face learning method of delivery in Semester 1, 2021 and subject to ongoing border closures and public health orders impacting attendance on campus, in Semester 2, 2021. However, some units of study and courses require students to study in-person at the relevant University of Sydney campus/es and host locations for placements and will not be available remotely.
Our flexible Graduate Certificate in Surgical Sciences course will help you to develop knowledge and skills in surgical specialty areas as well as non-technical areas such as professionalism, leadership and research. Our course can also help you prepare for the GSSE.
As a surgery student, you will learn from highly regarded clinicians and academics at the Sydney Medical School.
This course will help you acquire important and sought after knowledge and skills, including basic subspecialty knowledge, critical thinking and critical appraisal, all of which is valuable for an academic or teaching hospital career.
The majority of our units are taught online and some have a short workshop component (1 or 2 day). The exceptions are surgical anatomy and microsurgery which are taught face-to-face.
You will also have the option to complete a dissertation in your chosen subspecialty area and will receive a certificate of completion on submission.
Our Graduate Certificate in Surgical Sciences provides an early pathway for senior medical students (years 3 or 4) or medical graduates to undertake study that will assist them in their preparation for the Generic Surgical Science Examination (GSSE) conducted by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS).
Advanced medical students enrolled in graduate medical programs who have completed their preclinical science studies, would be able to enrol in 1 unit of study (6 credit point per unit of study) per semester and complete the graduate certificate at the same time as completing their medical program. They would also have the option of applying their 24 credit points towards the Master of Surgery in place of the Graduate Certificate in Surgical Sciences.
This course is not available to student visa holders or to international students to study offshore. International students in Australia on other visas with study rights may apply.
Please note: this course is not a qualification to practise surgery.
There are no specialisations for this course.
For academic requirements check the ‘Admission criteria’ section on this page.
You can apply online via the application portal. When you are ready to apply, select the ‘Apply’ button on this course page. Visit the How to apply page for other important information.
Semester 1 - 11 February of the commencing year
Semester 2 - 15 July of the commencing year
We strongly encourage applicants to apply as early as possible, offers are made on a rolling basis and places are limited. Separate scholarship deadlines apply - check the scholarships website for details.
Semester 1 (Feb)
Semester 2 (July)
*Stage 3 and 4 Sydney Medical students should complete and return the registration form for the Graduate Certificate in Surgical Sciences prior to enrolment in units of study.
Admission to Graduate Certificate requires:
Admission may also be subject to satisfactory interview with Program Director.
For more information about the University’s credit policy, please see the Credit for Previous Studies page.
Outstanding graduates may be eligible to pursue a higher degree by research in the courses of Doctor of Philosophy (Medicine and Health) and Master of Philosophy (Medicine and Health)
A research degree provides students with the opportunity to prepare a substantial piece of work which represents a significant contribution in a particular field of study and to gain transferable skills in general research methodology.
The school is affiliated with over 40 independent medical research institutes aimed at achieving medical firsts in specialist areas of health and medicine.
Sydney Medical School provides an outstanding environment for postgraduate research. Our research activities consistently attract high levels of funding from the federal and state governments, overseas funding agencies and other public and private sources.
Sydney Medical School offers a wide range of short professional development courses for health professionals through its clinical schools, disciplines and associated research institutes.
Many of the courses offered are pre-accredited for Continuing Medical Education (CME) points, and other courses may be awarded CME points on request to your relevant association or professional body. A full list of short courses and more information is available here.
