Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

File:A statue of Sushruta at RACS, Melbourne.jpg (800 BCE), author of Sushruta Samhita and the founding father of surgery, at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) in Melbourne, Australia.]]

The RACS is authorised and accredited by the Australian Medical Council on behalf of the [https://www.medicalboard.gov.au Medical Board of Australia], and the Medical Council of New Zealand to conduct training and education of surgeons across nine surgical specialties in Australia and New Zealand: Cardiothoracic surgery, General surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic surgery, Otolaryngology Head-and-Neck surgery, Paediatric surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, Urology and Vascular surgery. Training is administered in conjunction with specialist societies in each of these areas. Successful completion of surgical training with RACS earns the award of Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, denoted by the letters FRACS.

Being a Fellow of RACS (FRACS) requires ongoing learning and maintenance of knowledge and skills demonstrated through Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programs.

In Australia, specialist registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and Medical Board of Australia as a surgeon is only possible via training with or recognition by the RACS, which has previously sparked controversy over the potential for anti-competitive behaviour.{{Cite web|date=2004-11-15|title=Knives out in training row|url=https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/knives-out-in-training-row-20041115-jlkmw|access-date=2021-01-26|website=Australian Financial Review|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2004-11-16|title=ACCC may intervene in doctor training|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/accc-may-intervene-in-doctor-training-20041117-gdk4nn.html|access-date=2021-01-26|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=13 November 2006|title=The World Today - ACCC to strip Surgeons College of anti-competitive immunity|url=https://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1787213.htm|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-26|website=www.abc.net.au}}

Procedural medical practitioners with overlapping interests, such as cosmetic doctors, have claimed that the RACS has monopolised surgical training, whilst long-running concerns also exist that doctors without RACS surgical training are misleading and potentially harming the public by representing themselves as specialist surgeons.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2013-12-11|title=When a surgeon is not a surgeon|url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/6378998|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-26|website=ABC Radio National|language=en-AU}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-10-01|title=Fake plastic surgeon who maimed women struck off medical register|url=http://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/oct/01/fake-plastic-surgeon-who-maimed-women-struck-off-medical-register|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-26|website=The Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Aubusson|first=Kate|date=2018-11-21|title=Push to ban rogue operators from using 'cosmetic surgeon' title|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/push-to-ban-rogue-operators-from-using-cosmetic-surgeon-title-20181120-p50h9e.html|access-date=2021-01-26|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}} In Australia, the word "surgeon" alone is not a protected title under law, however misrepresentation as an AHPRA-registered surgical specialist is prohibited.{{Cite book|last=|first=|url=https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Registration/Types/Specialist-Registration/Medical-Specialties-and-Specialty-Fields.aspx|title=List of Specialties, Fields of Specialty Practice and Related Specialist Titles|date=1 June 2018|publisher=Medical Board of Australia|isbn=|location=Australia|pages=}}{{Cite web|title=Medical Board of Australia - FAQ : Recognition of medical specialties|url=https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Policies/FAQ/FAQ-recognition-of-medical-specialties.aspx|access-date=2021-01-26|website=www.medicalboard.gov.au|language=en}}

RACS has been an active supporter of community health initiatives for several decades.{{When|date=July 2022}} This support has been enabled through the contributions of governments, Fellows, Trainees, IMGs and friends of RACS through the Foundation for Surgery, the philanthropic arm of the organisation.

RACS also provides specialist medical education, training, capacity development and medical aid to 18 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Visiting teams and in-country personnel provide clinical mentoring and education to the national medical workforces and deliver train-the-trainer programs.

The college maintains a museum and archive of historic items related to the history of surgery in Australia including instruments, artworks, rare and historic books, and memorabilia. It is open to the public.{{Cite web|url=https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/things-to-do/college-of-surgeons-museum|title=College of Surgeons Museum - What's On Melbourne|website=whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au}}

The RACS was rocked by a scandal in 2015 when a Sydney vascular surgeon Gabrielle McMullin claimed during a speech that for the sake of their careers it would be safer for female surgical trainees to "comply with requests for sex from their supervisors" than to refuse and report these requests.{{cite web |title=Surgeon stands by harassment remark |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-31808512 |website=BBC News |access-date=20 August 2020 |date=9 March 2015}} She later backed these claims with evidence that she had reported sexual harassment of trainees to the college and that the reports were ignored.{{cite web |last1=Medew |first1=Julia |title=Royal Australasian College of Surgeons 'ignored sexual harassment complaints' |url=https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/royal-australasian-college-of-surgeons-ignored-sexual-harassment-complaints-20150930-gjyc87.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=20 August 2020 |language=en |date=1 October 2015}} The original comments were highly provocative and controversial, but prompted a major bullying and harassment investigation RACS that spanned several years.{{cite web |title=Why I would like to congratulate surgeon Dr Gabrielle McMullin for her suggestion that female trainees give in to sexual harassment in the workplace |url=https://www.myhealthcareer.com.au/medicine/why-i-would-like-to-congratulate-surgeon-dr-gabrielle-mcmullin-for-her-suggestion-that-female-trainees-to-give-into-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace/ |website=My Health Career |access-date=20 August 2020 |language=en-AU |date=8 March 2015}}{{cite web |last1=McMullin |first1=Gabrielle |title=Sexual harassment: time for a "black box"? |url=https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2017/47/sexual-harassment-time-for-a-black-box/ |website=InSight+ |access-date=20 August 2020 |language=en}} In 2016, the RACS published an official Diversity and Inclusion plan.{{cite web |title=RACS Diversity and Inclusion plan |url=https://ama.com.au/sites/default/files/documents/RACS_diversity_and_inclusion_plan.pdf |website=AMA |publisher=RACS |access-date=20 August 2020}} Fewer than 15% of active Fellows in surgery in Australia are female with a variety of plans to improve representation.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2017|title=RACS Women in Surgery Business Plan 2017-2021|url=https://www.surgeons.org/-/media/Project/RACS/surgeons-org/files/interest-groups-sections/wis/wis-business-plan.pdf|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=26 January 2021|website=surgeons.org}}

{{Infobox COA wide

|image = File:Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Arms.svg

|name = the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons

|notes = The arms were designed by two surgeons of the college, Sir Alan Newton and Sir Hugh Devine, both of whom later served as college presidents. The latin motto was chosen for the college by antiquarian, E. Wilson Dobbs.{{cite web |title=College Motto |url=https://www.surgeons.org/about-racs/about-the-college-of-surgeons/our-heritage-archives/symbols-of-the-college/college-motto |publisher=Royal Australasian College of Surgeons |access-date=7 October 2023}}

|year_adopted = Granted by the Kings of Arms, 30 January 1931.

|crest = On a Wreath Or and Azure, in front of the Sun's rays Or a Sphinx affrontee proper winged Gold.

|helm = A closed Helmet.

|escutcheon = Quarterly Or and Argent, on a Cross Gules between in the first and fourth quarters a Swan Sable naiant on water proper and in the second and third quarters a Lymphad also Sable, a Torch in pale of the first between two Serpents embowed respectant in fess proper, on a chief Azure, a Sun rising Gold.

|supporters = On the dexter side a representation of Chiron, and on the sinister side a representation of Apollo both proper.

|compartment = A field of Grass Vert.

|motto = {{langx|la|Fax Mentis Incendium Gloriae}} ("The flame of glory is the torch of the mind")

|other_elements = Mantling Azure doubled Or.

|symbolism = Supporters: The centaur Chiron from Greek mythology is representative of wisdom, and he holds a bow which represents the protection of education. Apollo, the Greek god of healing, holds the harp, symbolising the instilling of education by gentle means.{{Cite book|last=Low|first=Charles|title=A Roll of Australian Arms|year=1971|publisher=Rigby Limited|location=Adelaide|isbn=0-85179-149-2|pages=6-7}} Escutcheon: The Black swan is taken from the Coat of Arms of Australia, while the Lymphad, a symbol of discovery, is taken from the Coat of Arms of New Zealand. The red Cross of St George is symbolic of the English origins of the college. The two gold serpents are classical symbols of healing and medicine (such as their appearance in the Rod of Asclepius), and in circular Ouroboros form they represent regeneration and everlasting life. {{cite journal |last1=Beasley |first1=A. W. |title=The Flag of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons |journal=ANZ Journal of Surgery |date=February 1973 |volume=42 |issue=3 |pages=219-220 |url=https://www.surgeons.org/-/media/Project/RACS/surgeons-org/files/our-heritage-archives/college_flag.pdf?rev=9aa083f7e7f24653b743bd94cf0403c5&hash=62D63B21376E220788B834959A904783 |access-date=7 October 2023}} The gold torch is symbolic of enlightenment and learning. The rising sun alludes to the Royal status of the college and is an appropriate symbol for a college based in the Eastern Hemisphere. Crest: Unusually, the crest features a Sphinx affronté, rather than following the heraldic tradition of being in profile to match the helmet. The Sphinx itself is a combination of two ancient versions: the Greek (a woman's head and torso, and eagle's wings on a lion's body), and the Egyptian (a male head with headdress on a lion's body).{{cite web |title=College Arms |url=https://www.surgeons.org/about-racs/about-the-college-of-surgeons/our-heritage-archives/symbols-of-the-college/college-arms |publisher=Royal Australasian College of Surgeons |access-date=7 October 2023}}

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{{Reflist}}

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Category:Medical education in Australia

Category:Specialist medical colleges in Australia

Category:Medical education in New Zealand

Category:Medical and health organisations based in Australia

Australasian Surgeons

Category:Medical associations based in Australia

Category:Medical associations based in New Zealand

Category:Organisations based in Australia with royal patronage

Category:Organisations based in New Zealand with royal patronage

Category:1927 establishments in Australia