Urgent Care is an easily accessible medical service provided to those in need of immediate medical attention for minor injuries or illnesses. Urgent care centres accept walk-in patients, and appointments do not need to be made beforehand.

With basic medical needs being the foremost specialty, Medfuture is here to guide you on how you can become an Urgent Care Practitioner in New Zealand.

Why should I choose to become an Urgent Care Practitioner in New Zealand?

Urgent care is the 12th largest branch of medicine by the number of Fellows that is recognised by the Medical Council of New Zealand, almost equal in size to that of the ENT, emergency medicine, and public health branches.

Urgent care clinics offer competitive market rates, and considering the wide range of services that urgent care clinics generally provide, they offer various, extremely flexible roles.

There are opportunities for practitioners to work weekends, casual hours, and negotiable hours based on circumstances as well. Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city with the highest number of Urgent Care clinics in the country, offers opportunities throughout the city. Considering the shortage of urgent care practitioners in Auckland and New Zealand right now, there are numerous openings available.

What do I need to become a recognised Urgent Care specialist in New Zealand?

To begin with, you must apply for vocational training in urgent care.

Individuals can only do this if they have:

Either an Australasian postgraduate qualification: The FRNZCUC [Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care] or an international/foreign postgraduate medical qualification in urgent care. However, in a case like this, the standard and composition of an individual's qualifications, experience and training will be compared with, and assessed against that of RNZCUC.

What is the standard that my training, experience, and my qualifications will be compared with?

Specialists in New Zealand who are recognised need to have completed 6 years of training, while also satisfying the following requirements:

They need to have completed 2 years of supervised postgraduate general medical training, along with one year of internship pre-registration, and one year in supervised, full-time posts in general medicine and/or surgery that has been approved by the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care

They need to have completed the yearlong Urgent Care Course [UCC]

They need to have passed the UCPEX [Urgent Care Examination] which is RNZCUC’s primary examination

They need to either have over 4 years of emergency department experience with a minimum of 400 hours in at least one of those years [the trainee is allowed to select any 12 month period] OR have completed 3,000 hours of urgent care clinic. Up to a maximum of 500 hours is acceptable with a General Practice experience. Experience overseas that can be verified and assessed accordingly is acceptable to a maximum of 1,000 hours. Experience in New Zealand has to be supervised in accordance with the standards of the RNZCUC Education Committee

They need to have participated in the recertification programme by RNZCUC

Once a trainee has completed all of the above requirements for training, and successfully passed all of the examinations, they will be awarded the Fellowship of the Accident and Medical Practitioners Association [FRNZCUC]

What is a vocational registration?

An individual with a vocational registration, which is essentially a type of permanent specialist registration, is allowed to work independently in New Zealand.

What are the benefits of holding a vocational registration?

You would be considered a specialist by the Council

You have the freedom to work independently in New Zealand

You are allowed to prescribe relevant specialist medications

You may be entitled to receiving funding for certain medications

You have the authority to supervise other doctors

In a vocational scope, what are the pathways to registration?

The VOC1 Vocational Specialist registration is given to doctors who are already in possession of registration in the General scope of practice, and have obtained an approved New Zealand or Australasian postgraduate qualification.

The VOC2 Vocational Specialist registration is for individuals who have an approved New Zealand or Australasian postgraduate qualification, but do not have general registration.

The VOC3 Vocational Specialist registration is for individuals who are trained, experienced and qualified as specialists outside of New Zealand and Australia. The basis of this application would be on the overseas training and qualifications that they have completed, and they will be assessed based on their merits, accordingly.

If an IMG is successful in their application for vocational registration, they will have to undergo and complete a period of provisional vocational registration, wherein they will continue working under supervision, and will thereby be assessed on their competence, ensuring that they are capable of practising independently in the the field that they have chosen. During the Provisional Vocational registration period, in addition to the supervision by a specialist in the same field, IMGs may also undergo a separate assessment, wherein they will be guided by both their supervisor and employer as they grow accustomed to the health care system of New Zealand. The length of time that they would need to work under provisional vocational registration can go up to a maximum of 18 months.

What are the components of the Training Programme by RNZCUC?

The primary objective of the vocational training conducted by RNZCUC is to produce specialist urgent care physicians who, once they have completed their training, are entirely capable of working independently in order to provide patients with the effective, efficient and safe primary care they require, on a non-appointment basis. They must be able to fulfil the healthcare needs of the people of New Zealand.

On completing the training programme, trainees:

Have to be able to successfully and efficiently provide a competent triage, after assessing their adult and paediatric patients walking into urgent care clinics to receive medical attention for their illnesses and injuries.

Need to be able to handle the primary management and then stabilisation of their patients before finally handing them over to the general practitioner for ongoing care, or before making arrangements for a transfer for acute secondary care assessment.

Must be able to issue high quality, patient-friendly care in urgent care facilities, including urgent care clinics and hospital emergency departments in both urban and rural environments.

Need to conduct themselves, and provide care to all of their patients who require urgent medical assistance with compassion, patience, dignity and respect, while also consistently maintaining cultural safe, and equity considerations during all of their consultations.

The components of this training programme assist trainees in achieving the learning objectives, which are a part of the graduate outcomes. The graduate outcomes on the other hand, are divided and sorted into different domains of practice. The combination of all of these outcomes assists urgent care physicians in achieving the programme outcomes.

Is there demand for IMGs in New Zealand?

New Zealand as a country provides its inhabitants with a stable political and economic state, a high standard of living, numerous opportunities in educational and career paths, and unlimited activities for leisure.

New Zealand suffers with a shortage of doctors, due to the unending increase in demand for medical health care. While some branches of medicine are more affected than others by the shortage in skilled workers, there are numerous opportunities and openings for specialists, general practitioners, and junior doctors in almost every field.

As an IMG in New Zealand, what are the requirements I need to fulfil in order to be employable?

Initially, in order to work in New Zealand, most IMGs will need a visa. In order to obtain that, they would need to work under an employer with the title of an Accredited Employer with Immigration New Zealand. As long as there are no local candidates to take up the role, this would mean that the employer would be allowed to sponsor a visa. Although this is a limiting factor when it comes to deciding on the work that an IMG might want to pursue, there are certain medical careers that suffer great shortages in terms of skills, consequently opening up opportunities to IMGs who fit the criteria.

The second requirement, as mentioned previously, would be the licence that IMGs need in order to practise medicine in New Zealand, and paves way for them to be eligible for certain job roles.

What are some of the opportunities available for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who are interested in working in New Zealand?

There are three main categories of positions that are open to international medical graduates: Consultants / Specialists; Resident Medical Officers / Registrars / House Officers; General Practitioners.

Urgent care practitioners fall under the category of general practitioners. Openings for this role are widely available in both the islands of New Zealand. Most employers have a preference for trainees with Vocational Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand. However, some employers take general registration into consideration as well.

Medfuture, a reputed medical and healthcare recruitment agency, connects qualified and experienced healthcare professionals on a global scale. For more information on the open vacancies in healthcare administration, visit the Medfuture job board.

Why choose Medfuture for your next Urgent Care Practitioner placement?

Choosing Medfuture for your next Urgent Care Practitioner placement is a wise decision for several compelling reasons:

Specialized Expertise:

With extensive experience in medical and healthcare recruitment, Medfuture specializes in connecting skilled healthcare professionals with the right positions. Our deep understanding of the healthcare sector ensures that we can identify the most suitable urgent care opportunities for you.

Vast Network

Medfuture boasts a vast network of medical facilities and practices across New Zealand, which translates into an extensive range of job openings for urgent care practitioners. You can access a multitude of opportunities and choose the one that best aligns with your career goals.

Personalized Support

We offer dedicated support throughout your placement journey. From the initial application to settling into your new position, our team is there to assist you. You'll have a single point of contact who will guide you through the entire process and address any concerns you may have.

Efficiency and Speed

At Medfuture, we understand the urgency of filling urgent care positions. Our streamlined recruitment process ensures that you can secure your placement quickly and efficiently, allowing you to start your new role promptly.

Long-Term Partnerships

Medfuture values long-term relationships. Once you're placed in an urgent care role, we continue to provide support and assistance to ensure your professional growth and job satisfaction.

Commitment to Quality

We are committed to matching highly skilled practitioners with quality medical facilities. When you choose Medfuture, you are joining a team dedicated to delivering excellence in healthcare.

Whether you're an experienced Urgent Care Practitioner looking for a new challenge or a recent graduate ready to embark on your healthcare career, Medfuture is your trusted partner to find the perfect placement in New Zealand's urgent care sector. Your success is our priority.