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FRACS · Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship

FRACS Ortho
fix it.

160 sourced study notes across the AOA Orthopaedic Surgery curriculum (160 LOs, 18 sections). Tier-graded written-exam practice, a Phase 2 viva simulator across all 5 segments with voice mode, and unlimited MCQ practice. 10,564 LO-aligned flashcards across 92 topics.Built for the breadth the orthopaedic fellowship demands.

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A trainee holding a phone with PRIMEX study progress displayed
A current PRIMEX readiness view shown inside a phone held by a trainee.
Pass rate
Not published
RACS issues a candidate report per sitting
Sittings per year
1-2
Written + Viva annually
Format
Written + 5 Viva Segments
Type-X MCQ · iSAWEs · Essays · CIM · Operative · Clinical
Study notes
160
across 160 LOs · 10,564 flashcards
Organising college
RACS / AOA
Not affiliated with PRIMEX
· 2026 dates ·

FRACS Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Exam Dates 2026

Published dates for the upcoming sittings. Always confirm against the official RACS Fellowship Examination page before scheduling. I refresh this section quarterly as new windows are announced.

  • Written 2026.19 Apr 2026
  • Clinical/Viva 2026.1 (Wellington)23-24 May 2026
  • Clinical/Viva 2026.1 (Melbourne)30-31 May 2026
  • Written 2026.26 Aug 2026
  • Clinical/Viva 2026.2 (Sydney)19-20 Sep 2026

Same RACS Fellowship Exam dates as General Surgery. Limited Australian capacity; overflow placements run in NZ.

· Watch ·

Inside PRIMEX, in under a minute

Recorded in the app, with real FRACS Orthopaedic Surgery questions and notes. No sound needed to follow it.

· Exam domains ·

Topics tested in the FRACS Orthopaedic Surgery exam

~25%
Basic Sciences
Bone biology, fracture healing, and metabolic bone disease. Biomechanics of joints, implants and fixation constructs. Cartilage, tendon, and nerve physiology. Surgical infection, blood transfusion, and perioperative medicine.
Bone remodelling · Wolff's law · Implant tribology · Fixation biomechanics · Septic arthritis · Osteomyelitis
~25%
Surgical Anatomy
Regional anatomy of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, ankle, and spine; including surgical approaches, interval planes, and neurovascular structures at risk. Compartment anatomy and fasciotomy landmarks.
Kocher · Henry · Smith-Petersen · Hardinge · Medial parapatellar · Posterior lumbar · Compartment fasciotomy
~30%
Trauma
Upper limb fractures, dislocations, and soft-tissue injuries with AO classification and fixation principles. Lower limb and pelvic trauma including hip fractures, tibial shaft, and pilon injuries. Paediatric fractures and growth plate injuries.
Neck of femur · Tibial plateau · Pilon · Pelvis; APC/LC/VS · Salter-Harris · Polytrauma · ATLS principles
~20%
Arthroplasty & Subspecialties
Hip and knee arthroplasty; primary, revision, and complications. Spine surgery, paediatric orthopaedics, foot and ankle, sports medicine, and tumour. Perioperative complications including VTE, dislocation, and periprosthetic infection.
THA · TKA · Periprosthetic infection · DDH · Scoliosis · Anterior cruciate · Foot deformity · Bone tumours
· Real imaging ·

Practice on real radiology images

Used with permission from LearningRadiology.com. Every image links to its full teaching case. Tap to open.

Published with permission from LearningRadiology.com Try a free spot diagnosis →
· watch it work ·

Watch how PRIMEX works

Two short animated films: how written answers are marked criterion by criterion against an examiner-style rubric, and how the viva simulator runs the oral exam conversation. Both aligned to the published curriculum and current Australasian guidelines.

Read the transcript

The hardest part of a fellowship exam is not the knowledge. It is knowing whether your answers would score. With PRIMEX you answer exam style short answer questions under time, and every answer is marked criterion by criterion. You see what scored and what was missed, with feedback aligned to your college curriculum and current Australasian guidelines. From first part primaries to final fellowships. PRIMEX. Practise like the exam, before the exam.

· What's inside ·

How candidates prepare for the FRACS Orthopaedic Surgery

FRACS Orthopaedics written grader: the answer box with a timer and a random question set
Written practice. Marking points. Examiner standard.

The FRACS Ortho Phase 1 written exam has two papers: Paper 1 uses Type-X True/False MCQs (75 stems, 5 T/F distractors each); Paper 2 mixes iSAWEs, Generic Surgical Competency questions, and Essays. PRIMEX grades your practice attempts and explains the clinical reasoning behind each answer.

  • MCQ and written-response practice across all 18 AOA curriculum sections
  • Distractor explanations; why each wrong answer is wrong
  • Linked to relevant study notes and flashcards for immediate consolidation
  • Performance tracking by domain and topic over time
FRACS Orthopaedics iSAWE station: a patellar fracture vignette with fluoroscopic fixation images and graded sub-questions
Ten image-based stems. Six minutes each. Grounded in the college curriculum and current guidelines.

The FRACS Ortho Phase 1 Paper 2 includes ten illustrated short-answer questions (iSAWEs) at six minutes each: clinical vignette plus an image (X-ray, CT, MRI, clinical or intra-operative photo) with 3 to 6 sub-questions worth roughly ten marks. PRIMEX generates fresh iSAWEs grounded in the AOA-mapped study notes, marks each sub-question against a reference answer, and shows you which marking points your response covered.

  • Ten-stem mock paper at the real 6-minute pace
  • Five question angles per stem: diagnosis, investigations, classification, management, complications
  • Image library across trauma, arthroplasty, paediatric and spine
  • Grounded in the FRACS Ortho curriculum so reference answers cite your own study notes
  • Per-sub-question marking, not a single tier
FRACS Orthopaedics flashcard: a revealed spaced-repetition card with Again, Hard, Good and Easy grading
10,564 LO-aligned flashcards across 92 topics.

10,564 spaced-repetition flashcards aligned to the AOA curriculum's learning-objective structure across 92 topic buckets. Card types include classification rules, biomechanical formulae, vignette reasoning, and operative pearls. Every card ID is linked to an AOA LO so cards surface alongside the relevant study note and viva debrief.

  • Rebuilding per learning objective from the study notes pipeline
  • Planned card types: AO classification tables, Salter-Harris staging, Garden classification, surgical approach anatomy (intervals, nerves at risk, position)
  • Custom viva-station decks planned for the final weeks before Phase 2
  • One click from card to full study note when the deck lands
FRACS Orthopaedics viva simulator: station setup with selectable examiner conversation styles
Five Phase 2 segments. Voice mode. The full orthopaedic fellowship viva.

The FRACS Ortho Phase 2 runs over two days across five segments: CIM Viva (image-based differentials and management, 30 min), Operative Surgery Viva A and B (bone models and instruments, 30 min each), and Clinical Stations A and B (history and examination, 35 min each). PRIMEX simulates all segments with AI examiners and voice mode so you can rehearse speaking your reasoning aloud.

  • CIM Viva; MRI, CT, bone scans, and histology images, differentials and management discussion
  • Operative Surgery Viva; describe operative steps using bone models and instruments
  • Clinical Stations; history and examination videos, outpatient and ward scenarios
  • Voice mode; speak your answers and receive real-time follow-up questions
  • Examiner feedback on structure, depth, and clinical safety
A spoken mock viva. A graded readiness verdict.

Work through a full mock viva out loud with this college's AI examiner, in real time. Answer by voice, get probed and interrupted the way the real examiner would, then step out to a graded debrief: a readiness verdict, the topics you covered, your strengths and gaps, and how you handled the pressure. Every mock viva feeds your weak-topic plan, so what to practise next is always clear.

  • Real-time spoken viva in this college's examiner voice, fully interruptible
  • Graded readiness verdict: on track, borderline, or at risk
  • Communication and composure feedback: pacing, hesitation, clarity under pressure
  • Weak topics flow straight into your study plan and daily practice
  • Part of PRIMEX Pro, with monthly mock vivas included
FRACS Orthopaedics study note on biomechanics with an embedded interactive fracture-healing diagram
160 study notes. Sourced. Linked from every result.

160 sourced study notes across the AOA curriculum, organised per learning objective. Every note follows the same seven-section structure: overview, pathophysiology, classification, investigations, management, complications, and exam focus. The exam-focus section condenses what an orthopaedic viva examiner most commonly asks about that topic.

  • 160 study notes mapped across the AOA curriculum: 160 learning objectives, 18 sections
  • Seven-section structure: overview → pathophysiology → classification → investigations → management → complications → exam focus
  • Curriculum panel on every note showing which AOA LOs that topic addresses
  • References to AO Foundation principles, BOAST guidelines, and landmark RCTs
FRACS Orthopaedics curriculum tracker: AOA 21 learning objectives grouped by area with progress counts
160 learning objectives. 18 sections. One live progress bar.

The FRACS Ortho curriculum is structured across 18 AOA sections. PRIMEX's curriculum tab maps every learning objective to the study notes and flashcards that cover it, with checkboxes and a persistent progress bar so you know exactly which sections are solid and which need another pass before the exam.

  • All 160 AOA curriculum LOs mapped across 18 sections
  • Checkbox completion with localStorage persistence across sessions
  • Click any LO to jump directly to the relevant study note
  • Overall and per-section progress bars at a glance
FRACS Orthopaedics interview practice: a 6-panel MMI setup with a sample scenario
6-panel RACS Orthopaedic SET selection MMI practice.

Rehearse the AOA-administered RACS Orthopaedic SET selection MMI format. Six panels of 10 minutes each, with the interview weighted at 40% of the total selection score per the AOA 2025-intake regulations (alongside CV, structured referees, and the new Orthopaedic MCQ from the 2027 intake). Stations cover orthopaedic clinical scenarios (fracture management, joint replacement, paediatric musculoskeletal), commitment to orthopaedics (research, fellowships, rural exposure), team functioning in a procedural environment, ethics, communication, and motivation. The debrief returns a tier band, per-dimension rubric scores against the RACS Competencies framework, and framework beat checks per station.

  • 6-panel MMI format with 10-minute slots per panel
  • Mirrored from the AOA 2025-intake regulations + 2026/2027 intake changes page
  • Stations cover orthopaedic clinical scenarios, commitment to ortho, team functioning, ethics, communication, motivation
  • Calibrated rubric scoring per dimension with full band descriptions
  • RACS Competencies (NOT CanMEDS) demonstrated and missed per station
  • Framework beat tracking for STAR-FR, SPIES, PEARLS, PDSA, ABCDE, ISBAR
· About this exam ·

FRACS Orthopaedic Surgery format and structure: Fellowship Examination

The FRACS Orthopaedic Surgery Fellowship Examination is conducted jointly by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA). It consists of a Written Examination and a Viva Examination, typically sat in sequence over the final years of SET training.

Phase 1 (Written) has two papers. Paper 1 is 75 Type-X True/False MCQs (2 hrs, no negative marking). Paper 2 (2.5 hrs) mixes 10 iSAWEs (illustrated short-answer, image-based), 2 Generic Surgical Competency questions, and 2 Essays. Phase 1 must be passed before Phase 2 can be attempted.

Phase 2 (Clinical/Viva) runs over two days across 5 segments: CIM Viva (30 min), Operative Surgery Viva A and B (30 min each), and Clinical Stations A and B (35 min each). All 7 segments across both phases must pass; one failure may be compensated at the Specialty Court's discretion. PRIMEX is built by Dr Jay Marshall, an anaesthetics registrar in Taree, NSW.

  • OrganiserRoyal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) in conjunction with the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA)
  • Phase 1 formatPaper 1: 75 Type-X T/F MCQs (2 hrs). Paper 2: 10 iSAWEs + 2 Generic SAQs + 2 Essays (2.5 hrs)
  • Phase 2 formatCIM Viva (30 min) · Operative Viva A and B (30 min each) · Clinical Stations A and B (35 min each)
  • CurriculumAOA curriculum; 160 learning objectives across 18 sections including basic sciences, anatomy, trauma, and arthroplasty
  • Training pathwaySET (Surgical Education and Training) programme; typically 5 years post-GSSE
  • PrerequisiteRACS GSSE (Generic Surgical Sciences Examination); required before entering SET orthopaedics
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· FAQ ·

Common questions about the FRACS Orthopaedic Surgery exam

· Pricing ·

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  • Flashcards with spaced repetition & MCQ drill
  • Study notes for every curriculum topic
  • SAQ library & sessions
  • Study plan with pace tracking
  • Curriculum tracker & readiness insights
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  • Every exam track: specialist pathways, AMC & Medical Student
  • Flashcards with spaced repetition & MCQ drill
  • Study notes for every curriculum topic
  • SAQ library & sessions
  • Study plan with pace tracking
  • Curriculum tracker & readiness insights
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