Medical education and training

Graduates of New Zealand and Australian accredited medical schools and doctors who have sat and passed the New Zealand Registration Examination (NZREX Clinical) complete prevocational medical training.

The prevocational medical training programme ensures that postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) doctors (collectively known as interns) continue to build on their undergraduate education

For NZREX doctors it assures the Medical Council of New Zealand (Council) that the doctor has the broad-based core competencies and experience needed for medical practice in New Zealand.

There are two medical schools in New Zealand. Council recognises the primary medical training qualifications from both New Zealand and Australian medical schools.

It is the Council’s role to monitor and promote medical education and training in New Zealand. To ensure that its standards are met for medical education and training, the Council accredits training and recertification providers.

Once a doctor successfully completes prevocational medical training and has received registration within a general scope of practice, a doctor is then eligible to enrol in a vocational medical training programme. Doctors undertaking this training are referred to as trainee doctors, and are usually employed as registrars.

It is the Council’s role to ensure that the quality of training and education programmes offered by medical colleges is of a high standard. Council regularly assess training providers against its robust accreditation standards. Information on accredited medical colleges and Council’s accreditation standards can be found here.

Council is responsible for ensuring that doctors are competent and fit to practise medicine. One of the ways Council does this is to require doctors to participate in recertification programmes.