Master of Surgical Research
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Master of Surgical Research |
| Deakin course code | H801 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health |
| Campus | Offered at Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Online | No |
| Duration | 2 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| CRICOS course code | 098424K Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 9 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Fees and charges
Course overview
This course of study leads to a Masters by Research degree, with the students drawn from qualified medical practitioners, surgeons in training and fellowship-trained surgeons. The program has a primary function in providing doctors with a structured training and experience in independent research, specifically in the surgical speciality. It also fulfils a secondary function in providing discipline-specific training for doctors with aspirations in surgery, and provides an option for students to gain some skills in clinical leadership, for future leadership roles in surgery and broader medicine. Research training and clinical leadership training will be carried out at the Waurn Ponds campus, with heavy utilisation of online resources to support the teaching. Research activity, although coordinated from the Waurn Ponds campus, will mainly be carried out at the student’s place of work, although the School of Medicine’s Anatomy Laboratory will also be utilised where the Clinical Anatomy Investigation project involves cadaveric inspection or dissection. Primary supervision will be shared by academics within the School and other experts local to the workplace.
Through completion of the Master of Surgical Research it is expected that medical graduates, surgeons in training and qualified surgeons will:
- gain an understanding of research techniques relevant to surgery;
- produce high quality written work, suitable for publication in scientific journals, and present this orally to a high standard;
- gain the skills needed to critically evaluate their own, and therefore other’s, work;
- demonstrate their ability to apply research techniques in surgery and to lead research work; and
- develop, or consolidate, an advanced knowledge of human anatomy, as relevant to their discipline
Indicative student workload
The course will be delivered online and at Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus and at hospitals and other health centre sites of Deakin’s partner organisations, and of other healthcare organisations.
Approximately 2400 hours for the full 16 credit points of the course.
Career opportunities
The course design has a primary function in providing doctors with a structured training and experience in independent research, specifically in the surgical specialities. It has a secondary function in providing discipline-specific research training for doctors who are seeking to enter surgical training programs, and provides an option for student to gain some skills in clinical leadership, for future leadership roles in surgery and broader medicine. Undertaking the course also helps students to develop future professional and research networks, both within Deakin and with Deakin’s partner institutes.
Participation requirements
There are no compulsory learning experiences, beyond the requirement to complete the standard research and research training activities in the core units of the course as specified. Students have the opportunity of choice in the selection of their project and work/study environment and can therefore tailor their study to any specific needs they may have.
Mandatory student checks
Students will usually be required to provide evidence that they have the relevant Police Checks, Working With Children Checks, and immunisations to allow them to work with patients in a given health service. As students will be registered medical practitioners, these mandatory checks are usually a requirement of their professional registering body (e.g. AHPRA), thus these should already be in place.
Pathways
The Master of Surgical Research is a pathway to PhD enrolment.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Course Learning Outcomes | Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Demonstrate an advanced and integrated understanding of a complex body of knowledge in surgical anatomy and the surgical discipline. Plan and execute a substantial research project in the surgical discipline that demonstrates complex knowledge and application of clinical and medical research principles, cognitive and technical skills, and methods. | Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities: appropriate to the level of study related to a discipline or profession. |
| Interpret and transmit knowledge, skills, ideas and data to specialist and non-specialist audiences using highly developed written and oral communication skills. Apply listening and effective communication skills to accommodate, encourage and answer questions from an audience and to defend research findings and propositions. | Communication: using oral, written and interpersonal communication to inform, motivate and effect change. |
| Use digital technologies to locate, curate, interpret and disseminate relevant evidence-based literature to formulate research hypotheses, concepts and theories. | Digital literacy: using technologies to find, use and disseminate information |
| Critically analyse literature, research data and other information relevant to surgical anatomy and the surgical discipline to produce a substantial research project. | Critical thinking: evaluating information using critical and analytical thinking and judgment |
| Critically analyse, reflect upon and synthesise complex information, concepts and theories in surgery and surgical anatomy. Contribute to advancements in knowledge of the discipline through mastering the use of instruments and techniques, to collect, interpret, analyse, synthesise and disseminate research data and findings. | Problem solving: creating solutions to authentic (real world and ill-defined) problems |
| Demonstrate a high level of personal autonomy, professionalism and responsibility in the acquisition of knowledge and in the planning and execution of research projects and interpretation of data and findings. | Self-management: working and learning independently, and taking responsibility for personal actions. |
| Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively and effectively with research peers and non-specialist stakeholders to address complex real-world problems in surgery. | Teamwork: working and learning with others from different disciplines and backgrounds. |
| Demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills in conducting best-practice research of the highest ethical standards and in managing, sharing data and disseminating research findings across wider medical, research and cultural communities. | Global citizenship: engaging ethically and productively in the professional context and with diverse communities and cultures in a global context. |
Course rules
To complete the Master of Surgical Research students must pass 16 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- 16 credit points of core units consisting of:
- 5 credit points of Research Training and Preparation units
- 11 credit points of HME805 and HME806 Research Project in Surgery units
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Note:
- No Recognised Prior Learning is available for Research Project in Surgery units {HME805 and HME806}.
- Recognised Prior Learning may be awarded against any combination of HMH800 Research Design, HMH810 Research Communication, HMH811 Research Interpretation and Integrity and HME808 Clinical Anatomy Investigation.
Course structure
Core Units
Research Training and Preparation Units (5 credit points)
| HMH800 | Research Design (1 credit point) |
| HMH810 | Research Communication (2 credit points) |
| HMH811 | Research Interpretation and Integrity (1 credit point) |
| HME808 | Clinical Anatomy Investigation (1 credit point) |
PLUS (Total 11 credit points)
| HME805 | Research Project in Surgery (1 credit points) HQ1, 2, 3 or 4 # |
| HME806 | Research Project in Surgery (2 credit point) HQ1, 2, 3 or 4 # |
#Rolling enrolment
Student course plans will be designed to ensure the students use a combination of the above units to achieve 11 credit points of Research Project in Surgery across the 4 quarters of enrolment per year. HDR Faculty Research advisors will undertake this task with students.
Work experience
Students will usually carry out their mandatory research project work in their own work environment and sometimes through the process of carrying out their actual work duties.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.