Meet your Specialist Plastic Surgeon in Sydney, Dr Gavin Sandercoe

AHPRA Registration: MED0001182300. Specialist Plastic Surgeon. FRACS (Plastic & Reconstructive)

Education and Training

A lifelong passion for surgery saw Gavin complete six years of study at University of Sydney. He then spent 6 years gaining experience in general, cardiothoracic and plastic surgery prior to entering the formal plastic surgery training scheme. As a student and surgical trainee, he was already involved in the development of groundbreaking techniques, and published landmark papers in leading surgical journals and gave lectures at international conferences.

He completed a four-year traineeship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at many of Sydney’s major teaching hospitals, and received a Fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (FRACS PLAS) from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in early 2008. Gavin then completed a Fellowship in Craniofacial and Maxillofacial Surgery at the world renowned Harborview Medical Centre and Seattle Children’s Hospital in 2008. He then returned to Australia, and began to practice as a specialist plastic surgeon in Sydney.

Demonstrating Compassion Through Charity Medical Care

Gavin‘s skills have taken him to Nepal, performing reconstructive surgery at a charity hospital (Kathmandu Model Hospital) for a month in 2008. This allowed him to utilise his skills as a plastic surgeon in Sydney to benefit people in a less advantaged part of the world. In 2014, Gavin was an invited guest speaker at the ReSurge South Asian Conference in Kathmandu and lectured the audience on advances in breast reconstruction surgery and technical details on achieving excellence in treating facial trauma. He arrived in Kathmandu several days early and performed microsurgery with the ReSurge team at Nepal Burn & Cleft Centre, a charity hospital providing free reconstructive surgery to the people of Nepal.

Continuing Education

He continues to keep involved in the latest global developments by attending national and international plastic and cosmetic conferences. He is actively involved in teaching the coming generations of plastic surgeons, and has developed innovative courses instructing on the management of facial cosmetic surgery, trauma and reconstruction.

Dr Gavin Sandercoe was a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Department of Plastic Surgery at Liverpool Hospital from 2008 – 2018, and was the Head of Department at Liverpool Hospital from 2010 – 2014. His work there involved reconstructive surgery for all parts of the body, with special interests in facial trauma and breast cancer reconstruction. By dealing with reconstructive problems on a regular basis, he has the skills to handle complex cosmetic problems.

Since the beginning of 2019, Gavin no longer has a public hospital appointment. All of his operating has been centralised to Norwest Hospital, where he is the current Head of Department of Plastic Surgery. The decision was made to allow the best level of care possible from Dr Gavin Sandercoe and his team due to the proximity between the office and the hospital.

Personal Life

Gavin loves his work as a plastic surgeon in Sydney. When he’s not in surgery, you may find Gavin rock climbing, surfing or participating in a triathlon. Gavin’s ‘normal’ distance in triathlon is Half Ironman. Gavin has represented Australia at the World 70.3 Championships four times:-

• Clearwater (Florida) in 2008
• Henderson (near Las Vegas in Nevada) in 2012
• Gold Coast in 2016
• Nelson Mandela Bay in South Africa in 2018

Gavin has also raced 5 full distance Ironman triathlons but finds that the required training time is now too difficult to juggle with family and work commitments. Gavin might return to Ironman racing once his children finish high school. Gavin’s last race with New York City Marathon in November 2019.

“I love the thrill of rock climbing and surfing, and triathlon allows me to have a healthy lifestyle and control my weight”

Professional Memberships

Dr Gavin Sandercoe is a member of the following professional societies. Qualifications for membership in each society can include completing a rigorous training program, passing a difficult exam, completing continuing education courses on a regular basis, and upholding the highest standards of care in surgical practice.