Post Graduate Year 2 (PGY2) requirements

Endorsement on your certificate

Practising certificates for PGY2 doctors are issued with an endorsement recording a requirement to complete four Council-accredited clinical attachments, and to continue to set goals in their PDP and work towards achieving them.

Throughout PGY2, interns continue to be supervised and receive feedback from their prevocational educational supervisor as well as clinical supervisors on each attachment. The level of day-to-day supervision required for PGY2 decreases as the intern moves to more independent practice.

PGY2 interns must regularly review and record self-reflections on each of the 14 learning activities.

Removal of endorsement at end of PGY2 year

To be eligible to complete PGY2 and apply for removal of your endorsement an intern must:

  • satisfactorily complete eight Council accredited clinical attachments (four in PGY1 and four in PGY2)
  • substantively attain the learning outcomes outlined in the 14 learning activities of the curriculum
  • have completed MSF
  • have demonstrated progress with completing the goals in your PDP.

Flexibility in meeting PGY2 requirements

There is flexibility in the prevocational medical training programme that allows interns to take leave, work part-time, enter a vocational training programme, or practice overseas during PGY2.

Taking leave or working part-time during PGY2

When an intern takes leave in PGY2 their training pauses. On returning to practice they need to continue working towards the prevocational training requirements for PGY2. For example, if an intern takes leave for a full clinical attachment, they will need to complete an additional attachment in order to meet the time requirements for PGY2.

If an intern works part-time they will need to work at least 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) for it to count towards meeting the prevocational medical training requirements and they will be required to complete additional time. For example, an intern working 0.5 FTE will need to complete a further attachment of 0.5 FTE for it to count towards their prevocational requirements.

Vocational training in PGY2

Interns can enter vocational training in PGY2 but they are still required to simultaneously complete their training in prevocational medical training accredited clinical attachments, maintain their PDP and continue to record self-reflections on the 14 learning activities in ePort. The requirements for the vocational training programme would be in addition to Council’s requirements.

Working overseas in PGY2

It may be possible for an intern who wishes to practise overseas to have that time count towards their PGY2 requirements. Interns wanting to practice overseas must create a goal outlining their intentions, with information about the position and a proposed PDP. This is then considered by either: 

  • the advisory panel when they are reviewing their PGY1 progress, or
  • their prevocational educational supervisor if they apply part way through their PGY2 year.

All or part of PGY2 requirements may be completed in Australia, UK or Ireland – subject to one of the following conditions:

  • Within Australia – a prevocational training position under the supervision of a vocationally (specialist) registered doctor in a position approved for prevocational medical training.
  • Within the UK – a position in an approved practice setting that has been recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC) for prevocational medical training in the UK.
  • Within Ireland – a supervised position approved by Irish Medical Council (IMC) for prevocational medical training.

An intern who wishes to practise overseas outside of the above specified criteria must submit an individual application for approval to Council before going overseas.

While practising overseas, interns need to continue to maintain their record of learning in ePort and work towards the goals in their PDP. This includes uploading completed supervision reports.

On an intern’s return, before a recommendation and application can be made to remove the endorsement on their practising certificate, a review of supervision reports from the time spent overseas and the intern’s overall progress in their ePort is required.

  • PGY2-OS

    PGY2-OS - Application for pre-approval to complete PGY2 overseas

  • PGY2-OSER

    PGY2-OSER - Application for removal of PGY2 endorsement after completing PGY2 year overseas or when when referred to Council by Advisory Panel

Requirements for transitioning into PGY3

Before an intern’s endorsement can be removed at the end of PGY2 they must either enrol in the recertification programme Inpractice with bpacnz, or enrol in a vocational training programme.

Evidence of enrolment needs to be provided within one month from the date of application for endorsement removal to pgy3@mcnz.org.nz.