There are three major registration pathways to register with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) to practice as a GP in New Zealand. Each Scope has many application pathways to which there are varied eligibility requirements that needs to be met.

Go over the following scopes and their pathways to find out which pathway would suit your qualifications.

General Registration

To get registered in full general scope, you will be required to be registered in a provisional general scope of practice to undertake vocational training and successfully complete this phase.

Regardless of seniority, the MCNZ initially grants registration within the Provisional General scope of practice. To qualify for registration within the Provisional General scope of practice a doctor must:

1.        hold a prescribed qualification for registration in the Provisional General scope of practice

2.        be considered fit for registration (including satisfying Council's English language requirements)

3.        be competent to practise in the scope of practice

The doctor will also be subject to conditions like working under supervision for the first six months at least, in an approved position. The doctor will be assessed by the supervisor in terms of the ability to work at the standard required for the New Zealand healthcare system.

Once the Provisional general scope requirements are fulfilled, doctors can apply for registration within the General scope of practice.

There are few pathways to gain General Registration with MCNZ.

·      Medical Graduates of New Zealand and Australia

This pathway is for New Zealand and Australian medical graduates desiring to register within the Provisional General Scope of Practice to complete their internship.

To apply for this pathway to registration:

1.        You must have an approved primary medical qualification from New Zealand or Australia

2.        You must meet the MCNZ “Fitness to registration” requirements including their Policy on English Language requirements.

·      New Zealand and Australian graduates (Completed Internship)

This is for New Zealand and Australian medical graduates who have successfully completed their internship and want to register within the General Scope. To apply for this registration pathway, you should:

1.        Have a primary medical degree from a New Zealand or Australian university medical school

2.        Have completed your internship in Australia, and

3.        Must meet the MCNZ “Fitness to registration” requirements

·      NZREX Clinical Graduates

This pathway is for you if you have completed the New Zealand Medical Council registration examination (NZREX Clinical) in the last 5 years.

To be eligible you should:

1.        Have a primary medical degree from a school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools

2.        Pass the MCNZ’s registration examination (NZREX Clinical) in the last 5 years.

3.        Meet the MCNZ “Fitness to registration” requirements

4.        Provide evidence of an employment offer

·      UK and Irish Medical Graduates

This pathway is if you have a primary medical degree from the UK or Ireland and have completed an internship within one of the two countries.

You can apply for this registration pathway if you:

1.        Have a primary medical degree from a university or medical school in the UK or Ireland

2.        Complete your internship in the UK or Ireland

3.        Meet the MCNZ “Fitness to registration” requirements

4.        Provide evidence of an employment offer

·      Comparable Health System

This pathway to registration is for doctors who have recent experience in a health system comparable to New Zealand as prescribed by MCNZ.

1.        Have a primary Medical Degree – from a university medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools,

2.        have worked in a comparable health system(s) for a minimum of 30 hours per week for at least 33 of the last 48 months,

3.         have proposed employment in New Zealand in the same or similar area of medicine, at a similar level of responsibility to the work done in the last 48 months, and

4.        Full or general registration in at least one comparable health system which contributes to this time in clinical practice, OR Satisfactorily participating in a training programme recognised by the American specialty boards or Canadian colleges, or registered by the Irish Medical Council as a specialist trainee.

5.        Must also provide evidence of a job offer that includes supervision

·      Australian General Registrants

If you have passed the Australian Medical Council examinations and are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), you can apply for this pathway.

You can apply for this pathway if you:

1.        have a primary medical degree from a university medical school listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools,

2.        have passed the Australian Medical Council (AMC) multi-choice questionnaire examination,

3.        have passed the AMC Clinical examination or successfully completed a formal AMC-approved workplace-based assessment,

4.        satisfactorily completed 12 months of supervised practice in Australia resulting in full general registration with AHPRA, and

5.        meet Council's “Fitness to registration” requirements including satisfying the Medical Council's English language policy.

Vocational (Specialist) Registration

This pathway is ideal for overseas Trained Specialists who wish to work as a consultant in New Zealand for an extended period, typically longer than a year. Vocational Pathway is a permanent and specialist registration that allows a doctor to work independently in New Zealand.

During the Vocational Scope Application process, your qualifications, experience, and training will be evaluated one by one, unlike the general scope pathways. Basically, the MCNZ will compare you with a New Zealand trained consultant. There are 36 different areas of medicine, or ‘vocational scopes’ that are recognized.

VOC1 Vocational (specialist) registration

This pathway is for doctors who hold an approved postgraduate qualification from Australia or New Zealand and already hold a registration in the General Scope of Practice.

To apply for registration through the VOC1 Vocational (specialist) registration, you must:

1.        Hold an approved New Zealand/Australasian postgraduate qualification

2.        Hold general registration with the MCNZ

VOC2 Vocational (specialist) registration

You can apply for the VOC1 Vocational (specialist) registration if you are a doctor who:

1.        holds an overseas postgraduate medical qualification (in one of the defined vocational scopes) &

2.        Do not hold an approved New Zealand/Australasian postgraduate qualification.

VOC3 Vocational (specialist) registration

You’ll be eligible to apply for the VOC3 Vocational (specialist) registration if you:

1.        Hold an overseas postgraduate medical qualification (in one of the defined vocational scopes)

2.        Do not hold an approved New Zealand/Australasian postgraduate qualification.

For more details on the Vocational Scope, visit https://www.mcnz.org.nz/registration/getting-registered/registration-pathways/pathways-to-registration-in-a-vocational-scope/.

Special Purpose Registration

This is a temporary form of registration meant for a specific purpose. You can apply for this scope to work in New Zealand for a specific purpose such as Locum work, assistance during the pandemic, research, training or emergency circumstances. ThisThThis

For more information on special purpose registration pathways, visit https://www.mcnz.org.nz/registration/getting-registered/registration-pathways/special-purpose-scope/

The basic process to get registered as a doctor in New Zealand is similar regardless of the type of registration pathway you choose.

If you are a doctor genuinely interested in practising in New Zealand, our expert consultants will be able to help you choose the right pathway and guide you through the process. For a confidential discussion, forward your contact details to [email protected] and we’d get in touch with you soon.