Palliative medicine

Palliative medicine is the medical care that improves the quality of life of patients and their families and whanau facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness. The focus of palliative medicine is the anticipation and relief of suffering of patients by means of early identification, assessment and management of their pain and other physical, psychosocial and spiritual concerns. In particular, it affirms life, regards dying as a normal process and intends to neither hasten nor postpone death.

Vocational training in New Zealand

Vocational training in palliative medicine is undertaken through the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). Once RACP training is completed, the doctor is awarded Fellowship of the Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine (FAChPM).

  • Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP)

    The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) is the professional medical College of over 17,000 physicians and 8,000 trainee physicians, often referred to as specialists, in Australia and New Zealand.

Am I able to apply to work as a recognised specialist in New Zealand?

To apply for vocational registration in palliative medicine, you need either:

  • the FAChPM qualification in palliative medicine; or
  • an international postgraduate medical qualification in palliative medicine, where your combination of qualifications, training and experience is assessed against the standard of the FAChPM.

What standard will my training, qualifications and experience be compared against?

For details on the training programme please refer to the RACP website Royal Australasian College of Physicians

I want to make a vocational registration application

To make a vocational registration application, please refer to the Vocational Registration Homepage and select the option appropriate for you.

Am I able to apply for other types of registration?

You may be able to apply for more than one type of registration. To find out which is the best fit for you, please use our self assessment tool.

  • Registration self assessment tool

    3 May 2023

    Use our registration self assessment tool to determine which pathway to registration (as a medical practitioner in Aotearoa New Zealand) you might be eligible for. Note: we do not cover student electives.