If you have graduated from your medical school in Australia or New Zealand and have also completed your internship, we have briefed the process of registering as a medical practitioner in New Zealand for you. There are two paths that you can select for yourself; general scope of practice and vocational.

In case you have not completed your internship yet, please read the registration process for you through our previous blog on the Registration Process for graduates from Australia or New Zealand who have not completed an internship.

For General Scope

In order to take this path, you need to ensure that you have met the following requirements:

ü  Primary Medical Degree from Australia or New Zealand*

ü  Completed Internship in Australia

ü  Fit to Register Requirements**

*Acceptable Medical Schools: https://search.wdoms.org/

** Fitness for Registration Requirements:

https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Publications/Booklets/aee1ede704/Fitness-for-registration-guide-for-medical-students.pdf

Before moving towards Step 1, you need to get your documents verified through the EPIC system. The following documents need to be provided given that the internship was completed in Australia,

ü  Primary Medical Degree (Only for Medical Students from Australia) or Alternate Graduation Document

ü  Certificate of Medical Registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

For any confusions regarding the EPIC system, please see

https://www.ecfmgepic.org/instructions-new-zealand.html

Now, for Step 1, you need to ensure that you have an employment offer as this step can only be done along with your employer.

If yes, then we can proceed with the following,

1.        Using Checklist 1*, ensure that you have all the documents that are required

2.        Submit REG1** registration form

*Checklist 1: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Checklists/4f3f930a69/CHKL1.pdf

** REG1 Form: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Forms/88ff841528/REG1.pdf

If you have yet not completed PGY2 in Australia, then you would have to go through the PGY2 of the prevocational training programme in New Zealand. Through the programme, the following conditions will be met,

·       Employed by a Council-accredited training provider

·       Endorsement on Practising Certificate to complete accredited clinical attachments and maintain Professional Development Plan (PDP)

For more information on the conditions for PGY2, please see:

https://www.mcnz.org.nz/registration/maintain-or-renew-registration/pgy1pgy2-and-nzrex-training-requirements/

In case if you have also completed your PGY2 in Australia, then based on the scope of practice, you will need to enroll in the following,

For General Scope only:

ü  Enrolment in the ‘Inpractice’ Program*

*Given that you are not under an accredited vocational training program or limited to non-clinical practice

For General and Vocational Scope:

ü  Participate in Accredit College or Vocational Education and Advisory Body recertification program

ü  Participate in Approved Medical College Training Programme relevant to your area or Arrange your own CPD*

*In case of Continuing Professional Development, you should ensure,

ü  50 hours spent on CPD including; 1 audit of medical practice, 10 hours peer review and 20 hours of continuing medical education annually

ü  Relevance to your area of practice

ü  Record of CPD on Council Form

ü  On Audit present Council Forms representing met requirements

CPD Requirements:

https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Publications/Booklets/f207f3de3e/Recertification-and-continuing-professional-development.pdf

Council Form: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/registration/forms-fees-and-checklists/

Recertification Requirements:

https://www.mcnz.org.nz/registration/maintain-or-renew-registration/recertification-and-professional-development/recertification-for-doctors-on-a-vocational-scope-of-practice/

For Vocational Scope:

This scope will allow you to work independently in New Zealand and the registration of which is divided on the basis of different requirements as follows,

1. VOC1 Vocational Registration

ü  Registered in General Scope of Practice

ü  Approved Postgraduate Qualification from Australia or New Zealand

ü  If worked overseas; 2 Referee Reports from Specialists relevant and familiar with your current practice

Meeting all requirements, the application can be submitted through your MCNZ account. Processing of the application might take a minimum of 10 days. Also, additionally, in the absence of a current practicing certificate, please also request for it as well.

2. VOC2 Vocational Registration

ü  Approved Postgraduate Qualification from New Zealand or Australia

ü  Haven’t registered in General scope of Practice in New Zealand

ü  Primary Medical Degree from University listed in World Directory of Medical Schools

Meeting all the requirements, first send required documents to be verified through the EPIC System. Afterwards, submit a VOC2* form along with 3 Referee Reports** and send it to either of the contacts mentioned at: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/about-us/contact-us/

Minimum time of processing for VOC2 is 2 months.

*VOC2 Form: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Forms/32602a59d9/VOC2.pdf

** Referee Report Form: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Forms/47ebf026d7/RP6-RP9.pdf

EPIC: https://www.ecfmgepic.org/index.html

3. VOC3 Vocational Registration

ü  Completed Postgraduate Medical Training

ü  Gained Postgraduate Medical Qualification at the end of Specialist Training

ü  Primary Medical Degree from a listed University

ü  Meet ‘Fitness for Registration’ Requirements

ü  Meet ‘English Language’ Requirements

Before applying, please send your documents through the EPIC system to be verified. In order to submit the VOC3* form, please read guidelines given in the VOC3B** form. Also submit three referee reports along with your application.

*VOC3 Form: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Forms/ce15471838/VOC3.pdf

** VOC3B Form: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Forms/485904b9cc/VOC3B.pdf

In order to ensure the completion of your application, visit MCNZ* in order to check whether you are applying in one of the specialist areas that require additional information. Minimum time of 6 months can be taken to determine the status of your application.

*Additional Information: https://www.mcnz.org.nz/registration/getting-registered/registration-pathways/pathways-to-registration-in-a-vocational-scope/voc3-vocational-specialist-registration/

After application submission, it is assessed by a relevant medical college which also requires a form that depends on your location. In case if the application is approved, you will be able to apply for either of the two possible provisional vocational pathways; supervision or assessment.

If Overseas:

The College will assess your entire application and advice whether your documents and trainings are equivalent to that of a local trained specialist.

If in New Zealand:

You will have to give an interview at the College which will assess you on the basis of your qualifications and advise us regarding your standing.

Supervision Path:

ü  Qualifications equal to New Zealand’s locally trained specialist

ü  Achieve registration in Vocational Practice within 12 months of gaining registration in provisional vocational practice

To gain vocational registration you will need to complete,

·       6-12 months of satisfactory supervised practice

·       Enroll in College or continue PDP

Assessment Path

ü  Qualifications satisfactory to New Zealand’s locally trained specialist

ü  Achieve registration in Vocational Practice within 18 months of gaining registration in provisional vocational practice

To gain vocational registration you will need to complete,

·       12-18 months of supervised practice

·       Enroll in College or continue PDP

·       Complete Form of Assessment

After completing the provisional vocational requirements, a request can be made for a change in the status of vocational registration.

For more guidance on gaining registration to practice medicine in New Zealand, drop a line to feed@medfuture.com.au with your concerns and contact so that one of our recruitment specialists could assist you.

If you are a medical graduate from a country besides Australia and New Zealand and are looking to register with the Medi