Internship: New Zealand Positions for IMGs

[teehee]

hey all,

I'm an Australian citizen having just graduated from Pakistan in September 2012. I plan on not attending my internship year in Pakistan and will be issued a degree shortly. Provided I pass the NZrex exams can I get an internship position in New Zealand? And in order to become a registered practitioner in Pakistan, i need to complete my internship year, but am i right in assuming i can still apply for New Zealand with just my degree in hand?

How difficult is it nowadays to get an internship position in New Zealand for an IMG with Australian Citizenship? It looks like its pretty much impossible for me to get one in Australia, but whats the situation in New Zealand? Does anyone know of some statistics on the number of positions available as opposed to applicants etc?

lotsa questions..hopefully someone out there has the answers for me!

 

[teehee]

nobody?

 

[greenglacier]

Interns in NZ are called house surgeons. Employment of first year house surgeons is run by a national matching programme called ACE: ACE > Home

There's a bit of info on that website, including the priority list:

1) Graduates from New Zealand medical schools and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
2) Graduates from Australian medical schools and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia
3) Applicants who have passed the NZRex clinical exam and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia or hold an unconditional work permit to work in New Zealand.
4) Graduates from New Zealand medical schools and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
5) Applicants who have passed the NZRex clinical exam and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
6) Graduates from Australian medical schools and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.

So you don't come out too badly, but you're definitely not guaranteed a job or anything. There used to be some numbers from previous years on the website but they seem to have taken them down - perhaps flick them an email?

 

[teehee]

`I sent them an email but got a pretty vague reply "You are probably best to check with the Medical Council of NZ about working in NZ. Most of the people that apply for PGY1 positions with the NZRex certificate have worked as doctors in their home country".

Basically im looking to see how realistic/good my chances are

 

[greenglacier]

`I sent them an email but got a pretty vague reply "You are probably best to check with the Medical Council of NZ about working in NZ. Most of the people that apply for PGY1 positions with the NZRex certificate have worked as doctors in their home country".

Basically im looking to see how realistic/good my chances are

How about you specifically ask them what percentage of priority 3 applicants received offers of employment last year?

 

[teehee]

Ok, i just went and did that. I thought people here might know if there are usually any left overs for people in priority 1 and 2. And if things are expecting to get much worse any time soon

 

[lordgarlic]

Ok, i just went and did that. I thought people here might know if there are usually any left overs for people in priority 1 and 2. And if things are expecting to get much worse any time soon

my gut feeling is not many at all. The problem with an NZREX is that you end up being buddied with another house officer for 6 months then you have to do more supervised practice or something. I don't know the mechanics but it goes on for ages

 

[teehee]

Oh i had no idea i would have to go through a buddy system like that...would the duration of all that be upto the particular hospital or the registration board?

 

[teehee]

Their reply:

"Hi,
I'm sorry we do not have that information available"

hmm not much help

 

[Drfp]

I would be priory 6 way down line but I just want general practice and will go anywhere

 

[greenglacier]

I would be priory 6 way down line but I just want general practice and will go anywhere

That's not going to help you get a PGY1 job...

 

[Drfp]

That's not going to help you get a PGY1 job...

OK? I'm Older with lots of medical exoerience too. Passed USMLE steps 1 and 2 ECFMG certified, 23 years as an RN in the USA. Any of this help at all? Besides not caring about where I practice and I will do a PGY1 anywhere in NZ and commit to an area of need? :blink:

 

[frootloop]

OK? I'm Older with lots of medical exoerience too. Passed USMLE steps 1 and 2 ECFMG certified, 23 years as an RN in the USA. Any of this help at all? Besides not caring about where I practice and I will do a PGY1 anywhere in NZ and commit to an area of need? :blink:

My (very, very limited) understanding is that this would just mean you might be one of the better category 6 applicants. Which is still very, very low down the list (ie: You'll be ranked lower than even the 'least favorable' category 1-5 applicants), and probably quite unlikely to get a PGY1 job.

 

[greenglacier]

OK? I'm Older with lots of medical exoerience too. Passed USMLE steps 1 and 2 ECFMG certified, 23 years as an RN in the USA. Any of this help at all? Besides not caring about where I practice and I will do a PGY1 anywhere in NZ and commit to an area of need? :blink:

OK, so I don't know that much about intern job applications, but:

- prior healthcare experience could potentially help your CV/interview (if you even get offered an interview)
- I doubt USMLE counts for anything
- being willing to work anywhere helps, but realistically, all priority 6 applicants who get jobs will most likely get those jobs in unpopular areas (i.e. wanting to work at a popular hospital would make your chances zero, but being happy to work in an unpopular area probably doesn't mean much either)
- wanting to do a certain specialty (or "committing to an area of need") probably won't help: the hospitals employ you as an intern, and interns don't have specialties, nor have they even applied for specialty training programmes. I really can't see any way in which wanting to be a GP will make you a more attractive applicant to the hospitals

Finally, and most importantly, as I understand it, the priority system is pretty rigid. If you're priority 6, you're stuck in priority 6 (with a low chance of employment). You can't bump yourself up to have the same chance as a higher-priority applicant, even with an exceptional application.

 

[frootloop]

1) Graduates from New Zealand medical schools and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
2) Graduates from Australian medical schools and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia
3) Applicants who have passed the NZRex clinical exam and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia or hold an unconditional work permit to work in New Zealand.
4) Graduates from New Zealand medical schools and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
5) Applicants who have passed the NZRex clinical exam and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
6) Graduates from Australian medical schools and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.

[FONT=Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif]NZRex applicants will no longer be eligible to apply to the ACE Scheme (freeing up spaces for new medical graduates[/FONT]

So assuming I've interpreted what the NZMSA have said (and they're right), ACE categories 3 and 5 pretty much disappear? In which case, that could help [MENTION=16922]Drfp[/MENTION], as two entire categories of applicants (who were both preferenced higher than Drfp) are no longer eligible?

 

[Drfp]

So assuming I've interpreted what the NZMSA have said (and they're right), ACE categories 3 and 5 pretty much disappear? In which case, that could help @Drfp , as two entire categories of applicants (who were both preferenced higher than Drfp) are no longer eligible?

For me the practice of medicine as a Physician is more important than money, From what I can see it will cost me 6,000 USD plus to go through the process in NZ But here in my own country ( USA) its so competitive now even the lower status in NZ seems better chance, The US system has no such rigidness and they are accepting Foreign Docs easier than ones like me, citizen IMG.........yes crazy NZRX only thing I have to do as far as I can see, Similar to step 2 CS USMLE and I'm ready

By the way thank you so much for answering me I truly appreciate it, and I'm prepared to move permanently to NZ and become a resident and citizen in time. I believe in giving and then you will get so much in return.

I made a mistake, I'm Number 5 since I'm an IMG for NZ not a resident and did not attend a NZ school, So the new rule going into effect is I cannot apply for ACE, cannot go through PGY1 (Which is what I do not have at this time and trying to get in the USA) so if this is in effect for 2013 I'm done with looking at this as an option.........

5 is still on the ACE web site:
https://www.healthcareers.org.nz/ACEPrinciplesandEligibility/tabid/469/Default.aspx

 

[teehee]

I've been told that although I cannot apply through ACE I CAN apply through the DHBs at the same time as the match process is going on. My understanding is that it would be the same as applying through ACE except i would have to do everything myself whereas ACE helps to make the whole process easier.. Not 100% sure if i'm right on that though.


I understand i'll have to apply for the hospitals outside the big cities but then what does that leave me with? Can anyone mention some names of the larger small town area hospitals, considering I'm kinda used to the city life? Any hospitals considered "IMG friendly"?

 

[greenglacier]

I understand i'll have to apply for the hospitals outside the big cities but then what does that leave me with? Can anyone mention some names of the larger small town area hospitals, considering I'm kinda used to the city life? Any hospitals considered "IMG friendly"?

Actually, in NZ, the city hospitals are relatively easy to get jobs in. Some of the "larger small town" hospitals are the most competitive of the lot!

In terms of what hospitals are the least competitive, there is a voluntary bonding scheme that exists (partly) to attract medical graduates to hard-to-staff areas for PGY1+2, so the areas that qualify for the scheme are probably your best bet: Terms and Conditions - 2012 Intake | Health Workforce NZ

 

[Drfp]

Why can't you apply through ACE? I read the newsletters and could not find where #5 is eliminated?
Hmm I need to know if I take the NZRx pass it, can I get a PGY1? In the ACE or out of the ACE does not matter to me

 

[greenglacier]

Why can't you apply through ACE? I read the newsletters and could not find where #5 is eliminated?
Hmm I need to know if I take the NZRx pass it, can I get a PGY1? In the ACE or out of the ACE does not matter to me

This is an area where you really need to email ACE.