Neurosurgery in New Zealand - German residency, NZ citizen, UK degree.

[Bonesaw]

Hey everyone,

I've just entered a NSGY residency program in Germany and my dream is to come back to NZ to work and raise a family eventually. I know this is a rather small field in NZ with (from a google search) only 15 or so consultants and i'm just wondering what the outlook would be? I know years ago, Dunedin had that Neurosurgery crisis (lack of Neurosurgeons) but what would be the job outlook for myself? Would I just have to locum jumping all over the country? Would there be space for a permanent position? I really want to teach (the lack of NZ Neurosurgeons is disgusting) pref. Otago over Auckland uni.

I can't see the number of Neurosurgeons dramatically increasing in NZ while I finish my residency.

Any idea of what the actual end game looks like for me? I could move to Aus eventually but i'd prefer to teach Med students/train SET candidates in NZ for a few years.

Thanks

 

[dotwingz]

Congrats on the position! I'm sure it was a long difficult road to get where you are today.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a trustworthy source. Just some dude on the internet sharing his opinion.

Looking around I was able to find a few German trained Neurosurgeons working in Australia and NZ. There are definitely a number of them and it seems the training in Germany is respected given by how quickly these surgeons are able to start working as consultants.

Dr Ales Aliashkevich

• First Job as a Neurosurgeon was in Sept 2004 - moved to Wellington as June 2005 to be a consultant Neurosurgeon (Also taught at Otago! This guy is living your dream!). Issued FRACS in 2007

Dr Renata Abraszko M.D. (Hons), Ph.D. (Hons), FRACS (Neurosurgery)

• Moved to Australian in 1999 - Completed FRACS in 2004

Dr Matthias Jaeger MD, FRACS

• Moved to Australia in 2010 - completed FRACS in 2011 according to AHPRA

So its definitely possible, and if the neurosurgery field is as dry as you say it is there will be definetely positions all over the place. Based on Dr Aliashkevich's short period of time between finishing training, and working in NZ makes me think that transferring neurosurg qualifications is not brain surgery ( )

 

[DrDrLMG!]

There is a German trained neurosurgeon in Hobart, too. Mr Jens Peters-Willke.

 

[Bonesaw]

Danke everyone!

 

[Schmeag]

I would suggest getting in touch directly with each of these departments and enquiring about undertaking a fellowship there. I would be interested to hear what they say as I have been asked by a couple overseas doctors who have asked about similar (albeit non-neurosurgical).