Quick Facts — NZ Training
- Terms: House Officer (PGY1-2), Registrar, Senior Medical Officer (SMO)
- Regulator: Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ)
- Training Funder: Health Workforce New Zealand (HWNZ)
- Shared Colleges: NZ shares RACS, RACP, ANZCA, ACEM, RANZCR with Australia
- IMG Exam: NZREX Clinical or competent authority pathway
The New Zealand Training Structure
1
House Officer (PGY1-2)
Intern year as House Surgeon or House Physician. General MCNZ registration after PGY1.
2
RMO / Senior House Officer
Rotating posts building experience and applying to specialty training.
3
Vocational Training — 4-7 years
HWNZ-funded training positions; NZ shares specialist programmes with Australia. Annual competitive selection.
4
Fellowship + Vocational Registration
College fellowship leads to MCNZ vocational registration and Senior Medical Officer eligibility.
Key Points
- Most NZ specialist training uses Australian college frameworks (RACS, RACP, ANZCA, ACEM, RANZCR, RANZCP)
- HWNZ funds a limited number of training positions — competition is high
- Trans-Tasman rotations common; trainees may complete parts of training in Australia
- General Practice training: Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP)