Consultation - Expedited pathway for registration in the Provisional Vocational scope of practice

Consultations

Consultation under section 14(2) of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 on a proposed new prescribed qualification

Te Kaunihera Rata o Aotearoa | Medical Council of New Zealand (Council) determines the requirements for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) to obtain registration in Aotearoa New Zealand before they commence practising medicine. While public safety and maintaining standards of the profession is paramount, it is important that Council continually reviews and updates registration policies and pathways, to ensure they are fit for purpose and enabling, particularly in light of current workforce pressures.

Council is considering prescribing a new qualification (registration pathway) for specialist IMGs. This new qualification will provide for an expedited pathway for specialist registration in the Provisional Vocational scope of practice. 

Under the proposed expedited pathway, applications for registration will be determined without seeking and relying on advice from the relevant medical Colleges. This will accelerate the overall process for eligible IMGs to gain Provisional Vocational registration and commence practice. It will also allow medical Colleges to focus resources on more complex applications.

Recognising Council’s overarching objective of ensuring public safety, the pathway would be specifically applied to IMGs who have completed approved postgraduate medical training and in approved areas of medicine. In determining what postgraduate medical training and areas of medicine should be approved, Council will specifically focus on the postgraduate qualifications and areas of medicine that, in Council’s experience, has provided a demonstrably competent and safe cohort of registrants. 

Our consultation document [PDF, 228 KB] explains the proposal in more detail. The document is in two parts:

  • Part A - Consultation on the proposed pathway to registration (prescribed qualification)
  • Part B - Request for views on the postgraduate qualifications and areas of medicine that Council may approve.

Your input is important to us. Please provide written submissions and responses by completing the survey questions online . Alternatively, you can email your response to consultation@mcnz.org.nz.

We look forward to receiving your feedback. The consultation closes on 30 July 2024.