Postgraduate medical courses and training are essential in the healthcare industry as they provide enhanced knowledge and specialisation, which increases career opportunities for medical practitioners. These postgraduate specialised training courses range from sports medicine to drug development, covering a variety of subjects related to medicine.

As a reputed healthcare recruitment agency in Australia and New Zealand, Medfuture assists postgraduate medical students to help continue their medical education and training in the country.

An overview of following postgraduate medical training in New Zealand

These medical training and specialisation programmes can be followed after completing a bachelor’s degree in medical science. There are many educational institutes across New Zealand that offer postgraduate study courses and training programmes in a range of specialisation options. MD MS is one such program which is a two-year postgraduate degree programme that consists of theoretical components and research work. It consists of one year of classwork followed by one year of clinical practice.

These are full-time courses that take anywhere between 6 and 12 months to complete. Prerequisites include having a bachelor’s degree in medicine with appropriate English proficiency requirements. (IELS 6.5/ TOEFL 95/ PTE 64)

Why should you follow postgraduate medical courses and training in New Zealand?

Postgraduate medical courses help you get an improved understanding of the medical specialisation you are focused in and upgrade your knowledge and skills in relation to the specific field

A postgraduate degree in medicine uplifts your job profile and improves your chances of landing a job in your chosen field

Healthcare is a fast-growing industry in New Zealand and earning a postgraduate degree in medicine provides you access to high-paying jobs, especially as international medical graduates (IMGs)

Following are the reasons why you should study medical PG in New Zealand:

New Zealand is one of the finest destinations to follow postgraduate courses in medicine as it provides the best educational privileges to its students

The country provides excellent job opportunities for fresh graduates with a high employment rate compared to others

New Zealand provides a high quality of life and is an affordable destination to follow postgraduate studies compared to many other destinations.

Requirements to follow postgraduate medical courses and training for international students

Higher educational instituted in New Zealand provide some of the best postgraduate medical courses that international students can follow at ease. However, you must check if you fulfil the basic eligibility criteria to apply for postgraduate medical courses in universities in New Zealand.

Eligibility requirements

In order to be eligible to apply for postgraduate medical studies in New Zealand, medical graduates must fulfil the following criteria:

• You must be an international student with a bachelor’s degree in medicine from an accredited university
• You must have met the English language requirements with 6.5 in IELTS, 95 in TOEFL, or 64 in PTE
• You must be on New Zealand student visa

Entry requirements may vary based on the university that you are applying for. You should check with the relevant university before applying for postgraduate courses in medicine.

Student requirements

The following are the documents that you are requested to submit once you have met the eligibility criteria for the application process.

• Academic transcripts
• Passport
• Proof of work experience
• Application form
• Recommendation letter (LOR)
• Statement of purpose
• Admission test results
• Documents with regard to financial support
• English language proficiency test results

Visa requirements

You must be on New Zealand student visa in order to be eligible to apply for postgraduate medicine courses in the country. New Zealand student visa costs around NZ $530, although this fee could vary based on the location that you are applying from.

Required documents

The following are the documents that are required for overseas students to apply for visa in New Zealand:

• Current active passport
• Acceptance letter from the course provider
• Evidence of financial support
• Proof of work experience
• Medical examination results
• Letter of explanation detailing the purpose and requirement for visa

Top universities to follow postgraduate medical courses and training in New Zealand

The following are the best universities to follow postgraduate courses and training in medicine in New Zealand along with Times higher education ranking:

• University of Auckland: 139
• University of Otago: 301-350
• Victoria University of Wellington: 401-500
• Lincoln University: 401-500
• Massey University: 601-800

Postgraduate medical courses in New Zealand for international students

The following are the postgraduate courses in medicine in New Zealand that are available for foreign students:

• PGD in Oral Medicine
• PGD in Sport and Exercise Medicine
• PGD in Medical Laboratory Science
• PGD in Aviation Medicine
• PGCert in Travel medicine
• Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Science
• Master of Veterinary Medicine (Companion Animal)
• MMLSc Master of Medical Laboratory Science
• MDDD Master of Drug Discovery and Development
• PGDinOMG Postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and Medical Gynaecology

Scholarships

There are several scholarships provided for international students who wish to study postgraduate medicine in New Zealand. These scholarships are grants that support international medical students by reducing their financial burden while they pursue their postgraduate studies in New Zealand. Many of these scholarship providers have partnered with accredited universities in New Zealand to provide scholarships for students to continue their higher education and training in postgraduate medicine. These scholarships fall into two primary categories:

Academic scholarships

Easy bird scholarships

Job opportunities

Postgraduate medical courses in New Zealand come with many benefits that work in favor of international students. It is primarily because the healthcare industry is one of the most valuable industries in the country.

Postgraduate medicine students have the chance of earning very high salaries in New Zealand. The average annual salary for postgraduate medicine students in New Zealand is about NZ $69,452. If you are applying for an entry-level post you can earn approximately NZ $56,000 annually while experienced professionals can earn an annual salary up to NZ $152,185.

The following are the job opportunities for medical students in New Zealand:

• Healthcare Assistant
• Clinical Assistant
• Clinical Researcher
• Wellness Partner
• MRI Technologist
• Health Coach
• Medical Laboratory Technician
• Anesthetic Technician
• Imaging Assistant – Radiology

Two year limit on postgraduate medical training

The two-year limit on postgraduate medical training is a special purpose scope of medical practice that is available for postgraduate students for only up to a maximum of two years. It comes with specific restrictions, which is why it is recommended to apply for the permanent option if you are eligible for a permanent form of registration.

The special purpose postgraduate training is available for doctors who wish to move to New Zealand on a temporary basis. Their main intent is to gain experience and skills and come back and work in their home country.

Prerequisites

The postgraduate training pathway requires you to meet certain specifications. It is only available under the following circumstances:

• You are sponsored by a country or organization to which you will return after completing training
• You are part an official vocational training programme in your home country
• You possess an appropriate medical qualification that is approved by the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ)
• You have worked for at least a year in an institute that has an exchange programme with a medical school or hospital in New Zealand
• You must also fulfil the following:
• Hold a basic medical degree listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools
• Have been registered and practicing in your own country or sponsor country for at least a year before applying
• Have a job offer in New Zealand to confirm fellowship or any other training role
• Meet the “fitness of registration” conditions set by the institution

Additional requirements

The following are the additional requirements you must meet along with the above.

Employer approval

Our postgraduate training application must be approved by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for a hospital or healthcare institution

Require a high-level sign off from an appropriate organization other than a hospital

Induction and supervision

The proposed supervisor must provide a robust onsite induction and supervision plan with the information on your orientation to the New Zealand healthcare system.

Financing

The organization must confirm that you postgraduate medical training will not be sponsored by the Investment Relationship and Purchasing arm of the New Zealand Health Workforce.

Applying for registration

You must have a job offer and proposed supervision before you apply for registration. You must also document training goals that are commensurate with the length of the training and state how training will be monitored and the results will be measured.

Registration interview

Upon completing successful application, you will receive an ‘eligibility for registration’ letter. It confirms for various agencies in New Zealand such as Immigration New Zealand that you are able to be registered and will provide you with the relevant details for the registration interview.

Medfuture is a healthcare recruitment organization that is focused on connecting qualified and experienced medical practitioners with reputed healthcare organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Visit the Medfuture job board for a list of the latest medical jobs available for medical graduates.