Salary:

Senior Medical Officers receive a base salary relative to their level of experience. This is agreed upon at the time of the job offer. There is a 15-step pay scale that SMOs continue to progress through on a yearly basis.

In New Zealand, the salary and benefits of some roles are determined by collective agreements between unions and employers. The full Senior Medical Officers collective agreement can be found on the Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora website here.

Additional allowances are paid on top of base salary and vary due to location and service and are often not specified in the collective agreement.

Allowances:

There are a range of additional allowances for:

• on-call,

• evening, night and weekend work,

• call back,

• job size,

• recruitment and retention,

• and special contribution.

Leave:

• 6 weeks of paid annual leave.

• A minimum of 10 days of sick leave per year.

• 10 days of paid Continuing Medical Education Leave (CME), plus the ability to use annual leave tacked onto the end of your CME travel.

• 6-12 months of parental leave depending on the length of service, including 6 weeks of fully paid parental leave.

• 12 paid public holidays + time in lieu/alternative holiday if rostered on.

• Long service leave + sabbatical opportunities.

Additional benefits include: 

• An annual Continuing Medical Education (CME) allowance of NZD $16,000 (pro-rated for part-time employees).

• Reimbursement of your registration and practising certificate fees.

• Your professional indemnity insurance is covered by Health NZ.

• If eligible, up to a 6% matching superannuation contribution from Health New Zealand as your employer. Find out more here.

• A relocation package for international candidates.

Leadership and career development opportunities:

Health New Zealand encourages Senior Medical Officers to be involved in the design, implementation and performance of facilities and technology involved in the delivery of healthcare services to ensure an effective, efficient and safe workplace. 

Specific opportunities vary by location and service, however, can include:  

• Support and encouragement for research and publications.
  

• Mentorship opportunities for apprentice Junior Doctors/Registrars.
  

• Regional and National networks allow for subspeciality research and practice. 
  

• Ongoing development and support for career growth with on-the-job coaching and a variety of in-house training programmes. 

The work of Paediatricians in New Zealand may vary based on location and service, some key roles and responsibilities may include:

Interdisciplinary collaboration

• Participate in multidisciplinary teams that include physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and other medical specialists.

• Collaborate with services to provide integrated care for patients with complex needs.

Clinical duties and management:

• Provide inpatient assessments through emergency departments.

• Conduct Ward rounds and outpatient clinics.

• Triaging and responding to referral letters.

• Working across acutely unwell children, children with chronic illness and behavioural disorders.

• Discussions and meetings with caregivers, whānau and the wider care team.

Education and mentorship:

• Teach and mentor registrars, house officers, medical students, and other healthcare professionals.

• Contribute to the education of patients through group sessions and individual consultations.

Service development:

• Engage in quality improvement initiatives, clinical audits, and research to advance paediatric care in New Zealand.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of clinical pathways to enhance patient care for children in New Zealand.

Medical qualification:

• Hold a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) or an equivalent overseas qualification recognised by the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ):

• Obtain vocational registration in Paediatrics with the MCNZ.

This typically requires:

• Completion of a primary medical qualification relevant to Paediatrics.

• Completion of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Paediatrics and Child Health Training Programme, which includes:

  • A minimum of six years of accredited training, comprising:

    • Basic training (three years), which includes clinical experience, assessments, and passing the RACP divisional written and clinical examinations.

    • Advanced training (three years), which involves supervised training in Paediatrics and Child Health, completion of work-based assessments, and successful achievement of competency requirements.

  • Successful completion of all training requirements leads to the award of Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) in Paediatrics & Child Health.

Annual practising certificate (APC):

To practise, Paediatricians must:

• Maintain a valid annual practising certificate (APC) issued by the MCNZ, which must be renewed annually.

• Provide evidence of ongoing competence in their field.

• Participate in continuing professional development (CPD) activities as required by the RACP.

Registering to work as a Paediatrician in New Zealand:

To work as a Paediatrician in New Zealand you will need to obtain Vocational Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

Pathways to Vocational Registration include:

1. Direct pathway to Vocational Registration:

• If you are an International Medical Graduate (IMG) with specialist qualifications from countries with medical systems deemed equivalent to New Zealand’s (e.g., Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, or some European countries), you may be eligible to apply directly for vocational registration without needing first to obtain general registration.

• In this pathway, the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) will assess your specialist qualifications, clinical experience, and the medical system where you trained. If these are deemed equivalent, you can apply directly for vocational registration in your specialty (such as Paediatrics).

• This pathway allows experienced specialists to bypass general registration and the provisional general phase, which is typically required for doctors without a recognised specialist qualification.

2. Provisional Vocational Registration pathway

• If the MCNZ determines that your qualifications and experience are largely equivalent but that you need some orientation or assessment within the New Zealand healthcare system, you may be granted provisional vocational registration.

• This means you’ll practice in your specialty under supervision for a period, typically between 6-12 months, before being granted full vocational registration.

• During this provisional Vocational Registration period, a specialist who practises in the same area of medicine as you will supervise you. 

3. General registration pathway

• Some IMGs who do not meet the criteria for direct vocational registration may first need to obtain general registration if their qualifications and experience are not recognized as equivalent.

• This process to gain Vocational Registration includes:

  • A period of Provisional General Registration (with supervised practice) if necessary.

  • After obtaining General Registration, they can later apply for Vocational Registration once they have completed any further assessments or additional supervised practice required by the MCNZ.

Take the self-assessment

The Medical Council of New Zealand have a self-assessment tool to help you easily determine which registration pathway you should take.

Use the Medical Council's self-assessment tool

Find out more about life in New Zealand

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Visit our Candidate Information page