Comprehensive · Source does not publish funding, application deadline
DECISION SUMMARY
Key facts at a glance
Eligibility
Entry requirements published; check international conditions
Funding
Not published
Deadline
Not published
Duration
Normally 12 months; one currently advertised intake permits 6–12 months
Hands-on
Unclear — confirm privileges
Clinical exposureComplex upper-limb trauma from digital replantation to shoulder arthroplasty, with microsurgery, arthroscopy, arthroplasty, reconstruction and clinical or basic-science research
Participation levelClinical participation and hands-on restrictions must be confirmed directly with the host.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK
Can an international surgeon apply?
≈Partially published
International applicants
Specialist international medical graduates may be eligible for Australia's short-term training in a medical specialty pathway for up to 24 months. Eligibility requires recognised qualifications, completed internship, specialist or near-completion status, a confirmed host offer, college assessment and Medical Board/Ahpra registration; AOA accreditation alone does not guarantee host acceptance.
?Confirm directly with host
Clinical role
Clinical or combined training pathway; exact duties remain appointment-specific. Hands-on participation and operative restrictions are not explicitly published.
≈Partially published
Medical registration
An eligible specialist IMG undertaking up to 24 months of advanced training may use the Medical Board of Australia's short-term training pathway. This requires primary-source verification, a confirmed position, specialist-college assessment, supervised-practice documents and limited registration for postgraduate training or supervised practice.
✓Published by official source
Language
Australian medical registration applicants must meet the current Ahpra English-language skills standard through an accepted education or test pathway; the standard includes IELTS Academic, OET, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT and Cambridge routes with current score and validity rules.
—Not published
Visa or work authorisation
Visa sponsorship and work-authorisation information are not published.
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY86% of core application fields verifiedChecked 23 Sep 2026 · Next scheduled editorial review: 2027-03-23
✓ programme title✓ institution / department✓ city and country✓ programme classification✓ subspecialty✓ current status evidence✓ duration✓ positions✓ commencement / intake✓ benefits✓ eligibility✓ international eligibility✓ language✓ registration✓ application process✓ required documents✓ application portal✓ official contact✓ faculty✓ verified faculty photograph✓ verified institution logo✓ official source✓ institutional source✓ accreditation / organisation source✓ verification date— Funding information not published · not published by the cited official source— accommodation / relocation · not published by the cited official source— visa / work authorisation · not published by the cited official source— Current deadline not yet published · not published by the cited official source
CONSOLIDATED PROGRAM PROFILE
One fellowship, multiple annual intakes
OrthoFellow groups these intake records into one directory listing so the same programme does not appear repeatedly.
Application deadlineNo current deadline published in the cited evidence
Commencing dateCurrent openings: flexible start August 2026–February 2027, February 2028 and August 2028
Application route / cycleThe current programme page advertises three Upper Limb openings: a flexible 6–12 month placement starting between August 2026 and February 2027 and ending in August 2027; February 2028–February 2029; and August 2028–August 2029. Advanced applications are accepted.
Official contactFellowship Coordinator · Brisbane Hand & Upper Limb Research Instituteresearch@upperlimb.com
Pass the relevant surgical examinations equivalent to FRACS before the fellowship commences
Overseas-trained surgeons must state their intention to return to their home country after the fellowship
For the Medical Board short-term training pathway: a primary medical qualification recognised by the AMC and World Directory of Medical Schools
Completed medical internship or comparable overseas training
Qualified as a specialist in the country of training, or within two years of completing specialist training
A confirmed Australian training-position offer and specialist-college suitability assessment before limited-registration application
Application documents
Published by official source
Online application form
One combined PDF containing the curriculum vitae
Three written supervisor references from the preceding 12 months, with referee contact details
Cover letter naming the desired programme and commencement date and addressing motivation, career aspirations, contribution and FRACS-equivalent examination status
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What this program offers
Three AOA-accredited upper-limb fellowships covering shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand and microsurgery. The official programme publishes the current intake periods, four directors, examination and IELTS requirements, application documents, research environment and direct fellowship contact; it does not publish a stipend.
Intended for: Orthopaedic surgeons who will have completed the relevant surgical examinations equivalent to FRACS before commencing; overseas-trained surgeons may apply.
BENEFITS & SUPPORT
Published benefits and support
Public-hospital training, private-practice assisting and research links with BHULRI, QUT and the University of Queensland, including access to biomechanics and animal-research facilities.
HOST INSTITUTION
About Brisbane Hand & Upper Limb Research Institute / Princess Alexandra Hospital
The programme is based at Princess Alexandra Hospital and extends into affiliated Brisbane private practices. BHULRI connects clinical training with research and teaching relationships at QUT and the University of Queensland. Australian registration pathway: medicalboard.gov.au ↗. English standard: ahpra.gov.au ↗.
Fellowship supervisor / program leadershipOfficial profile & photo verified
Position / status
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery; Director, Upper Limb Fellowship Programme
Affiliation
Brisbane Hand & Upper Limb Research Institute / University of Queensland / Princess Alexandra Hospital
Clinical focus
Shoulder, elbow, hand and wrist reconstruction, arthroscopy, arthroplasty and microsurgery
Qualifications
MBBS, FRACS, FAOrthA, CIME
Professor Ross is a founder and co-director of the Brisbane Hand & Upper Limb Research Institute and director of the Princess Alexandra Hospital Upper Limb Fellowship Programme. His official profile records Kleinert Institute fellowship training and university leadership in upper-limb surgery and research.
Hand and wrist surgeon; Co-director, Upper Limb Fellowship Programme
Affiliation
Brisbane Hand & Upper Limb Research Institute / Princess Alexandra Hospital / QUT
Clinical focus
Hand and wrist surgery, wrist arthroscopy, reconstruction, replacement and biomechanics
Qualifications
MBBS, FRACS, FAOrthA, PhD
Dr Couzens is a hand-and-wrist surgeon with more than 25 years of specialist experience. His official profile records a Princess Alexandra Hospital appointment, an adjunct professorship at QUT, co-directorship of BHULRI and doctoral research in wrist biomechanics.
Brisbane Hand & Upper Limb Research Institute / Mater Private Hospital Brisbane and Redland
Clinical focus
Hand and upper-limb surgery, microsurgery, shoulder and elbow surgery
The current fellowship page lists Dr Robinson among the four upper-limb fellowship directors. Mater's official specialist profile describes his practice in hand and upper-limb surgery, including microsurgery and shoulder-and-elbow care, across Mater Private Brisbane and Mater Private Redland.
Co-director, Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Programme
Affiliation
Brisbane Hand & Upper Limb Research Institute
Clinical focus
Shoulder and upper-limb arthroscopy, reconstruction and arthroplasty
Qualifications
MBBS, FRACS, FAOrthA
Dr Duke's official profile describes a career in shoulder, hand and upper-limb surgery with a focus on shoulder arthroscopy and arthroplasty. It states that he has retired from active private surgery but remains involved in research and teaching; the current fellowship page continues to list him as a programme director.
Help us understand which pages are useful. Google Analytics stays off unless you allow it. Declining does not affect access to OrthoFellow. Privacy policy
