2026 International Paediatric Surgery Fellow

The Royal Children’s Hospital’s (RCH) Vision is “A world where all kids thrive”.

RCH is a cornerstone member of the Melbourne Children’s Campus, partnering with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics and The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.

RCH has cared for the children and young people of Victoria for more than 150 years since it was founded in 1870. A full range of paediatrics and adolescent health services are provided plus tertiary and quaternary care for the most critically ill and medically complex patients in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and other states around Australia and overseas. The Hospital has more than 6,000 staff, a budget of $850M, 12 wards and 350 beds. Annually, the RCH has 300,000+ Specialist Clinic appointments, 90,000+ Emergency Department presentations and 20,000 elective surgeries.

The RCH is committed to the Child Safe Standards. 

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact.

For further Information on RCH is available here.

Applications are now open for International Fellow positions in the Department of Paediatric Surgery, commencing between August 2026 and October 2026, for a period of 12 months.

These positions have the opportunity to be involved in a broad range of planned and emergency paediatric surgical care that will include trauma, burns, urology, hepatobiliary surgery, neonatal surgery, oncology surgery, colorectal surgery and thoracic surgery, appropriate to experience and training requirements.  

International fellows join a junior surgical group consisting of a RACS paediatric surgical trainees, a Burns fellow, research registrars and non-training surgical registrars. They participate in the onsite first on call roster under the direction and supervision of consultant surgeons. This roster includes night shifts and weekends and covers the Department of Urology as well. The frequency of on call is usually 1:8. The positions are fully funded including overtime.

International fellows work in conjunction with a local trainee in one of three surgical teams. Junior staff are rotated through teams for six month terms but may request a dedicated 12 months in one team. This will provide a year of specific exposure in one area.

• Oncology/Hepatobiliary
• Thoracic/Upper GI
• Colorectal

Working within one of the busiest paediatric surgical services in Australasia, these roles provide excellent clinical experience with exposure to a wide variety of paediatric surgical conditions and an opportunity to greatly enhance one’s surgical training. This is a great platform for future paediatric surgeons.

These positions are most suitable for international trainees prior, or soon after, the completion of their local training program in Paediatric Surgery. The positions are not suitable for senior or established Paediatric Surgeons, junior trainees or General Surgical trainees with limited experience in Paediatric Surgery. All applications will be considered against the following criteria

• Exposure to a comparable volume and complexity of Paediatric Surgery
• Demonstration of clinical excellence
• An interest in research with a record of academic performance 
• Experience working in comparable health care systems  
• Involvement in international meetings, workshops and courses 
• Long term career goals which would benefit from a year at RCH 
• At a suitable career stage for Fellowship
• Ability to satisfy the English language requirement for Australian medical registration

For a detailed copy of the position description, please click here

Applications close on Friday May 2nd 2025. Short listed candidates will be offered an interview. All interviews will be conducted by videoconference. At the completion of the interview process, successful candidates will be notified as soon as referee checks are completed. This is to provide sufficient time for each candidate to complete the lengthy immigration process associated with working in Australia.

Appointed applicants must be able to satisfy the English Language requirements for medical registration in Australia. Information about these requirements can be found on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency at https://www.ahpra.gov.au/registration/registration-standards/english-language-skills.aspx

It will be an advantage for applicants to have completed these requirements prior to interview.

Because of the limited number of positions available, we regret that we are often unable to offer positions to excellent candidates. All unsuccessful applicants will receive prompt written communication of their failure to progress. We are very happy for unsuccessful candidates to apply again in the following year.

The following documents are required on application

• Covering letter outlining the purpose of application and the applicant's career goals
• Current curriculum vitae
• Two references from either a Paediatric Surgeon at your current hospital of employment or a previous Paediatric Surgical training director.

For further information please contact paediatric.surgery@rch.org.au

Why work at the RCH?

RCH enjoys high employee engagement and is committed to staff safety and a positive culture through enactment of our Compact. We offer the opportunity to work in world-class facilities, surrounded by Royal Park and only a short tram trip from the heart of Melbourne city.

We also offer discounted staff parking, salary packaging, and an award-winning health and wellbeing program.

The RCH is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, all members of the LGBTQI community and people with disability.

It is a requirement of your employment that you be vaccinated against Influenza annually for Category A and B roles, in compliance with any public health orders in place at the relevant time, unless you have a medical exception in line with those public health orders, which has been accepted by The Royal Children’s Hospital.

Applicants will be required to provide their Australian Government Immunisation History Statement, it is a requirement of the RCH to collect, record and hold vaccination information.

It is also a requirement of your employment that you comply with any direction given by The Royal Children’s Hospital that you be vaccinated against, or prove immunity to, any other disease, unless you have a relevant exemption.

Are you ready to join our team? 

 Apply online by clicking on the “Apply” button

Applications close Friday 2 May 2025