There are a wide variety of positions for Overseas Trained Doctors (OTDs) from public and private hospitals to GP practices in a range of locations from busy metropolitan cities to rural towns in areas of outstanding beauty.

New Zealand public hospitals offer a diverse clinical experience and excellent teaching facilities. Private health services have limited access in specialties but are a fantastic way of discovering remote and beautiful regions of New Zealand and compliment where you work with your lifestyle interests.

There is also a shortage of GPs in rural areas and increasingly outer metropolitan areas of large cities, making it increasingly attractive for overseas trained doctors.

If you would like help in locating a suitable job, please contact us for further assistance.

Hospital Positions

Direct medics can offer you the opportunity for positions in urban or rural health care facilities with access to ongoing education and professional development.

Positions would include full-time, variable contracts up to 6-12 months and permanent jobs in large or small, public or private hospitals.

The hospital system provides many opportunities for overseas trained doctors (OTDs) who wish to work in New Zealand temporarily or who are seeking a postgraduate (occupational) training position.

Private Practice

As there is a shortage of GPs in rural areas and outer metropolitan areas of large cities, it is increasingly attractive for overseas trained doctors to take up private practice positions in New Zealand.

Working in private practice can be a rewarding and enriching experience as you will become involved in community life and may even provide services to the local hospitals.

The varied roles and responsibilities of rural and indeed urban GPs can provide a high level of job satisfaction.

Training & Education

The New Zealand Medical Council encourages doctors to continue ongoing medical education and training through the following activities:

• regular accreditation of New Zealand medical schools
• requiring all new doctors to work under supervision in their first 12 months
• visiting hospitals which employ probationers to ensure a suitable teaching and learning environment is provided and writing reports and recommendations on those hospitals visited
• recognising new vocational scopes of practice and approving vocational programmes training for registration within a vocational scope of practice in those branches.

The Medical Council also has a list of recommended textbooks, manuals, journals and electronic resources to support medical education in the immediate postgraduate years prior to vocational training.

Support for Doctors

This section contains resource information for your medical career in New Zealand including professional, community and practical support. 

Medsafe - Information on the regulation of medicines and medical devices in New Zealand and the safe use of medicines. 

New Zealand Medical Journal - The Journal of the New Zealand Medical Association, focusing on medical practice and clinical research. 

New Zealand Ministry of Health – The principal advisor to the Government on health and disability policy. 

Royal NZ College of General Practitioners – The professional body providing on-going educational support and training for general practitioners.