For medical graduates, entry into a surgical training scheme in Australia remains a competitive and rigorous process with an emphasis on one’s CV and research. The weighting of these in the application process has tended to favour junior doctors in major cities, working at high volume research hospitals. This qualitative study aims to identify and highlight the barriers facing junior doctors in regional Australia aspiring to become surgeons. Principal House Officers (PHOs, or unaccredited trainees) in surgical specialties from North Queensland were surveyed by way of email invitation. Their responses were collated and described. We discuss the commonly reported perceived barriers and their potential solutions, and analyse differences between sub-specialties. These data may assist local health districts in regional Australia as well as the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in aiding junior doctors and/or making changes to application processes.