The Medical Council of New Zealand has announced that from 1 November 2024, international medical graduates with an approved postgraduate medical qualification from the UK, Ireland or Australia will be able to apply for specialist registration via a new fast-track registration pathway.
A complete list of the approved postgraduate medical qualifications can be found here and includes anaesthesia, dermatology, emergency medicine, general practice, internal medicine, pathology (anatomical) and psychiatry.
This will make it easier and quicker for eligible doctors to gain specialist registration and start practising within these specialities in New Zealand, reducing the assessment time from 6 months to 20 working days.
You can apply for the fast-track registration if you:
- Hold an acceptable primary medical degree;
- Have an approved overseas postgraduate medical qualification;
- Intend to practise in New Zealand in an approved area of medicine;
- Have a minimum of 24 months (working at 0.5 FTE or more) clinical experience in the past 5 years practising in that area of medicine, including 12 months within the last 18 months immediately prior to application, in a country recognised by Council as having a health system comparable to Aotearoa New Zealand; and
- Have a job offer in New Zealand.
Keep an eye on our website for further details once the pathway goes live and if you’d like to chat to one of our recruiters regarding current opportunities in Aotearoa New Zealand meantime, please contact us at info@headmedical.com.