About Dr Varun Arora
BMedSc (Hons), MBBS (Hons), FRACS (Ortho), FAOrthA
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Pelvis | Hip | Knee | Trauma
Overview
An Australian-trained orthopaedic surgeon with sub-specialist expertise in surgery of the pelvis, hip and knee, caring for patients with arthritis, sports knee injuries, complex hip conditions, failed or painful joint replacements, and acute fractures in adults and children.
Patient-centred approach
Good treatment begins with understanding how you feel, what is holding you back and what you want to get back to. Varun takes time to listen, assess your condition and explain your options, helping you choose treatment that fits your needs and goals.
Your scans provide valuable information, but they cannot fully capture your pain or its impact on your life. Significant changes do not automatically mean you need surgery, and milder findings do not make your symptoms any less real. Your experience matters.
Accurate diagnosis
A thorough assessment and review of your imaging before any recommendation.
Clear options
The benefits and limitations of surgical and non-surgical care, explained plainly.
Your goals first
A plan built around the activities that matter to you.
The decision to have elective surgery is personal. Varun helps you consider whether an operation is likely to meaningfully improve your quality of life. Where non-operative care is likely to help, he prioritises it. When surgery is appropriate, you decide together whether—and when—to proceed.
If surgery is chosen, careful planning, evidence-based techniques and a coordinated recovery plan support your care. The aim throughout is to reduce pain, improve movement and help you return confidently to the things that matter to you.
Areas of Expertise
Hip surgery
Direct anterior hip replacement
Periprosthetic fracture surgery
Knee surgery
Pelvis and acetabulum surgery
Pelvic and acetabular fracture reconstruction
Reconstruction for fragility fractures
Selected complex pelvic conditions
Orthopaedic trauma surgery
Adult and Paediatric Fractures
Tendon injuries
Complex peri-articular injuries
Fracture complications
Training journey
Varun grew up in India and New Zealand. After completing high school in New Zealand, he moved to Melbourne to study medicine.
He completed his medical and specialist orthopaedic training in Australia, building a broad foundation in elective surgery and trauma care. He further developed his expertise through consultant practice and advanced subspecialty fellowships in Melbourne and the United Kingdom, complemented by visiting fellowships in Europe.
This combination of Australian and international experience shapes his individualised approach to treatment, from joint-preserving care through to complex reconstruction and revision surgery. Varun draws on a range of contemporary techniques to tailor care to each patient’s condition, needs and goals.
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2009 | University of Melbourne
Graduated with a Bachelor of Medical Science, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with Honours, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Surgical Anatomy.
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Training | Australian Orthopaedic Association training
Specialist orthopaedic training across multiple hospitals in Victoria and Tasmania.
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2022 | FRACS (Orthopaedics) and FAOrthA
Admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in Orthopaedic Surgery and a Fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association.
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2023 | Consultant, Austin Health
Full-time consultant managing high-acuity adult and paediatric trauma, and undertaking hip and knee replacement and sports knee surgery.
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Fellowship | Melbourne Orthopaedic Group
Advanced subspecialty training in direct anterior approach hip replacement, complex and revision hip surgery, robotic-assisted knee replacement, hip preservation and sports knee surgery.
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Fellowship | Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge (UK)
Pelvic, Acetabular and Revision Hip fellowship at one of the UK's busiest major trauma centres. As the unit's primary pelvic and acetabular fellow, he gained extensive experience in complex pelvic and acetabular reconstruction, periprosthetic fractures, revision hip replacement and combined fixation-and-replacement procedures for complex acetabular fractures in older patients.
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Europe | Visiting fellowships
Focused visiting fellowships in France, Switzerland and Austria with specialist surgeons in direct anterior hip replacement, hip preservation and complex hip reconstruction.
Qualifications and professional credentials
BMedSc (Hons)
Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours, University of Melbourne
MBBS (Hons)
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with Honours, University of Melbourne
PGDipSurgAnat
Postgraduate Diploma in Surgical Anatomy, University of Melbourne
FRACS (Orth)
Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Orthopaedic Surgery
FAOrthA
Fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association
Fellowships
Hip Reconstruction Fellowship
Melbourne Orthopaedic Group, with Mr Jit Balakumar and Mr David Young
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Pelvic, Acetabular, Major Trauma and Revision Hip Fellowship
Addenbrooke's Hospital, with Mr Jai Rawal, Mr Andrew Carrothers, Mr Peter Hull, Mr Daud Chou and Mr Karl Logan
CAMBRIDGE, UNITED KINGDOM
Hip Fellow
Inselspital University Hospital, with Prof. Moritz Tannast
BERN, SWITZERLAND
Visiting anterior hip replacement fellowships
Prof. Frederic Laude
Clinique du Sport
PARIS, FRANCE
Prof. Richard Field
SWELOC
EPSOM, UNITED KINGDOM
Prof. Michael Leunig
Schulthess Klinik
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
Mr Mark Higgins
Nottingham City Hospital
NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM
Mr Thomas Aubert
Groupe Hospitalier
PARIS, FRANCE
Outside the operating theatre
Outside the operating theatre, Varun is a devoted husband and father to two young children and enjoys spending his spare time with his family. A passionate traveller, he has a lifelong ambition to explore every corner of the world, experience its different cultures and sample the local cuisine wherever his travels take him.
Varun is also an avid sports follower, with cricket being his greatest passion. He also enjoys following soccer, AFL and tennis, and occasionally finds time for a round of golf. His enthusiasm for sport sits naturally alongside his clinical interest in sports knee injuries and helping patients return confidently to the activities they enjoy.
