Stipend AUD 80,000-90,000 per annum (AOA 2025 summary)
Deadline
12 months before desired start date (international applicants); no fixed date published
Duration
12 months
Hands-on
Unclear — confirm privileges
Latest source audit
3 Oct 2026
Duration · published12 months
Clinical exposureExtensive exposure to knee sports-medicine reconstruction (ligament reconstruction, patellofemoral surgery, cartilage restoration, osteotomy) and knee arthroplasty including unicompartmental, total and revision knee replacement, with assessment and ongoing care of surgical and non-surgical knee patients. At least one research project suitable for peer-reviewed publication is expected.
Funding · publishedStipend AUD 80,000-90,000 per annum (AOA 2025 summary)
DestinationAustralia
Participation levelClinical participation and hands-on restrictions must be confirmed directly with the host.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANT CHECK
What the official evidence currently supports
Decision-critical fields are separated into confirmed facts, partial information and points requiring direct confirmation.
≈Partially published
International applicant eligibility
International applicants should submit expressions of interest 12 months before the desired start date, including proof of English proficiency, to allow for Australian medical registration and a specialist visa.
✓Published by official source
Required training level
FRACS or equivalent international qualifications · IELTS with a score of at least 7 in every unit in one sitting
✓Published by official source
Programme classification
Clinical or combined training pathway; exact duties remain appointment-specific.
?Confirm directly with host
Hands-on restrictions
Hands-on participation and operative restrictions are not explicitly published.
≈Partially published
Medical registration
Australian medical registration required (AOA summary notes the lengthy registration process; regulator not named)
?Confirm directly with host
Licensing examinations
Any examination requirement must be confirmed with the relevant regulator and host.
—Not published
Language requirements
No formal language requirement is published by the cited source.
≈Partially published
Visa or work authorisation
A specialist visa is required for international fellows (visa subclass not specified).
✓Published by official source
Funding availability
Stipend AUD 80,000-90,000 per annum (AOA 2025 summary)
DATA QUALITY & AVAILABILITY
79% of core application fields verified
Checked 3 Oct 2026. Next scheduled editorial review: 2027-04-01. Every unresolved field keeps its exact evidence state—unpublished, not yet researched, historical, conflicting, inaccessible or not applicable—so an absence is never converted into a fact.
✓ programme title✓ institution / department✓ city and country✓ programme classification✓ subspecialty✓ current status evidence✓ duration✓ commencement / intake✓ funding✓ eligibility✓ international eligibility✓ registration✓ visa / work authorisation✓ deadline✓ application process✓ required documents✓ official contact✓ faculty✓ verified faculty photograph✓ verified institution logo✓ official source✓ accreditation / organisation source✓ verification date— positions · source temporarily inaccessible— benefits · source temporarily inaccessible— accommodation / relocation · queued for source review— Language requirement not published · queued for source review— application portal · not published by the cited official source— institutional source · source temporarily inaccessible
APPLICATION TIMELINE & CONTACT
Plan the application
Application deadline12 months before desired start date (international applicants); no fixed date published
Commencing dateFebruary or August each year
Application route / cycleRolling; intakes in February or August; international applicants apply 12 months ahead of the desired start date.
Deadlines and intake dates can change between cycles. The data-quality ledger above explicitly labels application fields that the cited official source does not publish.
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Published entry requirements
Clinical / academic eligibility
FRACS or equivalent international qualifications
IELTS with a score of at least 7 in every unit in one sitting
Registration, licence & examinations
Australian medical registration required (AOA summary notes the lengthy registration process; regulator not named)
Visa / work authorisation
A specialist visa is required for international fellows (visa subclass not specified).
Application documents
Letter of application outlining training objectives and intended career plan
Current CV including prior local and international training, prior research, and at least 2 senior orthopaedic referees worked with in the last two years
Certified copies of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees
IELTS results (minimum 7 in every unit, one sitting)
Licensing, visa and document rules depend on the individual programme and application cycle. OrthoFellow does not infer USMLE, AHPRA, ECFMG, recommendation-letter or visa requirements from the country alone.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
What this program offers
Twelve-month AOA-accredited knee fellowship combining knee sports-medicine reconstruction and unicompartmental, total and revision knee arthroplasty, centred on St George Private Hospital, with a publishable research project.
HOST INSTITUTION
About Sydney Knee Specialists / St George Private Hospital
Sydney Knee Specialists is a knee surgery practice based at St George Private Hospital, Kogarah, Sydney. Sites named in the official sources: Sydney Knee Specialists, Kogarah / St George Private Hospital (primary site), St Vincent's Private Hospital, St Luke's Private Hospital, Canterbury Public Hospital.
Sydney Knee Specialists; Conjoint Professor, UNSW Sydney
Clinical focus
Hip & Knee training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Samuel MacDessi is listed in the cited programme evidence as chief supervisor for Sydney Knee Specialists Joint Reconstruction Fellowship (NSW0038). The verified individual profile describes a focus in Hip & Knee training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Samuel MacDessi is listed by the official programme source as chief supervisor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Sydney Knee Specialists (founding partner and Managing Director)
Clinical focus
Hip & Knee training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Darren Chen is listed in the cited programme evidence as supervisor for Sydney Knee Specialists Joint Reconstruction Fellowship (NSW0038). The verified individual profile describes a focus in Hip & Knee training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Darren Chen is listed by the official programme source as supervisor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Sydney Knee Specialists; St George SportsMed, Kogarah
Clinical focus
Hip & Knee training and clinical practice
Qualifications
Not published on the cited profile
Gregory Wernecke is listed in the cited programme evidence as supervisor for Sydney Knee Specialists Joint Reconstruction Fellowship (NSW0038). The verified individual profile describes a focus in Hip & Knee training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Gregory Wernecke is listed by the official programme source as supervisor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Bradley Seeto is listed in the cited programme evidence as supervisor for Sydney Knee Specialists Joint Reconstruction Fellowship (NSW0038). The verified individual profile describes a focus in Hip & Knee training and clinical practice. This association does not by itself confirm personal supervision, operative privileges or availability for a future intake.
Bradley Seeto is listed by the official programme source as supervisor. A separate individual short CV has not yet been verified by OrthoFellow.
Names and fellowship roles come from the cited programme source. A green “individual profile verified” label means the position, qualifications and biography were also checked against an official personal or institutional profile. OrthoFellow displays a portrait only when it can be tied to an official profile or faculty source; otherwise the host institution brandmark is shown, with initials retained only when neither image is available. Faculty rosters may change.
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INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
Published international eligibility information
International applicants should submit expressions of interest 12 months before the desired start date, including proof of English proficiency, to allow for Australian medical registration and a specialist visa.
This note is shown only when the official source publishes information relevant to overseas applicants. Applicants should confirm licensing and visa eligibility directly with the host.
