Recertification and professional development

To ensure that you are continuing to maintain your competence to practise medicine, you must meet recertification programme requirements set by Council, including any minimum continuing professional development (CPD) requirements.

What is recertification?

The Medical Council is responsible for ensuring that you are competent and fit to practise medicine. One of the ways that it does this is by requiring you to meet the requirements of recertification programmes set by Council, including satisfying any continuing professional development (CPD) requirements included in the programme.

A recertification programme is the name given to the set of activities and processes that Council requires you undertake or satisfy, on an on-going basis, to demonstrate that you are continuing to maintain your competence to practice. This includes participating in continuing professional development.

Strengthened recertification requirements

The Council has recently strengthened the recertification programme requirements for vocationally-registered doctors in New Zealand. The requirements build on existing systems and put emphasis on activities that relate to the actual work doctors do and that are most likely to improve practice.

Accredited recertification programme providers are expected to work towards these requirements, with implementation by 1 July 2022.

Requirements for each scope of practice

Your recertification programme requirements will generally depend on what scope, or scopes, of practice you are registered and practising in. However, there are exceptions and special cases. Please check the categories below to determine your specific requirements, relevant to the scope, or scopes of practice you hold:

Changes to your recertification programme requirements

You need to contact us, at pc@mcnz.org.nz, if you wish to pause your participation in your current recertification programme. It is important that your practising certificate accurately records your recertification programme requirements.

If you are practising in your General scope or in a vocational scope

You must be enrolled and actively participating in the appropriate recertification programme at all times while you are practising, even if you are just doing locum work.

Please contact us by email at pc@mcnz.org.nz if you are proposing to make a change and wish to discuss your recertification programme options.

If you are practising in either the provisional general, a provisional vocational, or a special purpose scope

You must practise medicine under approved supervision and in an approved position. Any changes to your employer, position, location or supervisor must be approved by Council before the change is made. Please contact your registration coordinator, or email us at enquiry@mcnz.org.nz, to discuss any potential changes or see the page below around how to apply for a variation.