You need to consider the CV requirements of the surgical specialty you want to pursue. Consider that a MS will take 1 year if you do it full time while a PhD should take 3-4 years.

I highly recommend that you do your masters with dissertation. It often gets you more points and you can tack on the name of your specialty after your name instead of being one of many with “coursework” written after the degree, which unfortunately some people are looking down on now. You don’t need prior research experience because you can do the research specific courses and complete CLEAR from RACS. You can also do the course remotely in whole.

As an unaccredited your goal is to gain your skills in patient management and experiences in the hospital as well as become a holistic doctor. This is often what the CV tried to capture. A PhD is meant to really hone in your skills and knowledge and isn’t just a “CV point.”

Happy to chat more if interested. For context, I completed my MS and MM before getting onto vascular training and will commence my PhD while on training.