Although the Medical Council has no jurisdiction over medical students, the conduct and health of students prior to graduation can affect their future eligibility for registration as medical practitioners.

1. Under Section 16 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, (the Act) you must be fit to practise medicine.  This refers to your conduct and health, your English language ability and your medical skills and knowledge.
2. The medical school dean is required to report doctors to the Council who may not be fit to practise due to physical or mental ill-health.
3. When applying for registration, you will be asked a number of questions relating to fitness for registration on the application form.  We ask similar questions each year when you renew your annual practising certificate.  The Act allow for penalties (up to $10,000) for false declarations or representations.
4. Our current Application for Medical Registration for New Zealand seeks information on the following:

• communication in English,
• skill and knowledge to practise medicine including questions about competence enquiries or termination of employment as a doctor on the grounds of poor performance,
• mental and physical conditions including psychological, psychiatric or addiction (drugs or alcohol) disorders, or physical deterioration due to injury, disease or degeneration,
• conviction by a Court in New Zealand or elsewhere of any offence punishable by imprisionment of three months or longer,
• professional disciplinary proceedings in New Zealand or any other country (including any current investigations),
• tribunal orders made by a New Zealand or overseas organisations which reflect adversely on conduct and character,
• conditions, restrictions or refusals to grant licences to practise.

5. The Medical Council has no direct source of information (except perhaps the newspapers) about infringements of the law by students.  Students in their own interest must bring convictions or other serious health or conduct findings to our attention.  If students are in doubt about the seriousness of any matter, they should contact the Dean at an early stage.
6. The Council is particularly concerned about the health of young doctors, and that dealing with drugs can expose students and young doctors to the risk of abuse of substances or conviction or crime for drug usage or sale.  The Council's Health Committee takes a constructive approach to doctors who become addicted to drugs or alcohol and works with them through a monitoring programme to ensure early recovery.
7. The Council has a policy statement on transmissible major viral infections.  Screening for HBV (hepatitis B virus) is strongly advised.  Students who believe they are or have been at risk of contracting HBV or HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) should be aware of their serological status.  Students are encouraged to be vaccinated against HBV.
8. If you are concerned about these matters and anything which may need to be declared to the Council when you apply for registration we advise you to speak with the Dean or to contact the Registrar at the Medical Council office in Wellington (0800 286 801).  In the last ten years no person qualifying at a university medical school in New Zealand for registration has been denied registration on the grounds of lack of fitness. Some have declared convictions (eg, drink driving) or health conditions (eg, psychiatric or other illness) and we have obtained reports to ensure that the new doctor has appropriate support, and if necessary, therapy, and the public health and safety is not at risk.

Note: Failure to give this information could well jeopardise a graduate's right to registration.