New Zealand is an island nation in the South Pacific. It ranked third globally in the 2025 Global Peace Index. Its medical workforce also has a strong international component: international medical graduates accounted for 43.5% of doctors on the Medical Council of New Zealand register as of June 30, 2025.
For a better understanding of what is required to become a medical doctor in New Zealand, review the steps below. The exact process depends on whether you complete medical school in New Zealand or already hold an overseas medical qualification.
How to Become a Doctor in New Zealand
Step 1. Be Proficient in the English Language
English is the most commonly spoken language in New Zealand. Te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language have official status under New Zealand law. Doctors must be able to communicate effectively in English in medical settings.
Doctors applying for registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand, or applying to sit the New Zealand Registration Examination (NZREX Clinical), must meet one of the Council’s eight English-language requirements. The IELTS exam and the Occupational English Test (OET) are possible ways to meet the requirement, but not every applicant needs to take one of these exams.
Step 2. Graduate from a Medical Program on the Island
At present, New Zealand’s established medical-degree pathways are offered by the University of Otago and the University of Auckland. The University of Waikato is also developing a four-year graduate-entry medical program scheduled to start in 2028.
The Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test (UMAT) is no longer used. Admission requirements differ by university, applicant category, and intake year. At Auckland, school leavers cannot apply directly to the MBChB; applicants enter through a first-year or graduate pathway. Auckland states that UCAT ANZ applies for 2027 entry, while its Casper situational judgment test applies for 2028 entry; shortlisted applicants must complete a Multiple Mini Interview. At Otago, applicants generally enter after Health Sciences First Year or a prior undergraduate degree. Otago states that from 2027, domestic and international applicants must sit UCAT, subject to limited transitional exceptions, and from 2028 all applicants must sit it. Applicants should review the current Auckland MBChB and Otago medicine admissions pages before applying.
The program structure also depends on the university and entry pathway. Auckland’s MBChB is a six-year, full-time program. Years 4, 5, and 6 are taught predominantly in hospital and community settings. At Otago, the MB ChB takes five years after admission following Health Sciences First Year or a prior undergraduate degree. The undergraduate route includes a trainee internship in the sixth year. Applicants should consult the universities’ official program pages for the current curriculum.
Step 3. Acquire a Medical License and Complete a Mandatory Residency Period
Graduating from medical school does not, by itself, authorize a person to practice medicine in New Zealand. Doctors must be registered with the Medical Council of New Zealand and hold a current practicing certificate. New Zealand graduates applying for provisional general registration need a confirmed postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) job offer from an accredited training provider.
Doctors who are not eligible for registration through another pathway must sit and pass NZREX Clinical. A passing NZREX Clinical result is valid for five years from the examination date. Doctors who pass NZREX Clinical must secure a PGY1 role with an accredited prevocational training provider before they can be registered to practice.
New Zealand and Australian medical graduates, along with doctors who pass an approved registration examination such as NZREX Clinical, complete a two-year prevocational training program covering PGY1 and PGY2. These doctors are collectively known as interns. Further specialist training varies by college and field. For example, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ Basic Training program is 36 months, followed by specialty-specific Advanced Training.
Step 4. Must Acquire Additional Steps for Foreign Licensed Medical Doctors
International medical graduates play an important role in New Zealand’s medical workforce. They accounted for 43.5% of doctors on the Medical Council register as of June 30, 2025. Immigration New Zealand also states that healthcare professionals are in consistently high demand across New Zealand and that many healthcare occupations have a fast track to residence.
Foreign-trained doctors should begin with the Medical Council’s registration self-assessment tool. The appropriate pathway depends on the doctor’s qualifications, training, experience, and intended scope of practice. Most pathways to non-specialist registration require a New Zealand job offer before registration. Overseas specialists follow a separate assessment pathway; if they are found eligible for provisional vocational registration, their employment and supervision must still be approved before they can practice.
Foreign-trained doctors also need an appropriate visa. There is no single visa that applies to every doctor. Many medical roles are on Immigration New Zealand’s Green List. A doctor with a qualifying Tier 1 Green List role and a job or job offer from an accredited employer may be eligible for a Straight to Residence Visa. The Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa is another possible route for applicants who meet its requirements, including the points threshold. Applicants should check Immigration New Zealand’s current guidance before applying.
Before practicing medicine in New Zealand, doctors must complete the applicable registration process and obtain a current practicing certificate. Depending on the registration pathway, the certificate may include conditions such as approved employment, location, or supervision. These conditions must be followed.
New Zealand provides opportunities for doctors at different stages of their careers. Because medical-school admissions, registration pathways, and immigration rules can change, applicants should verify the current requirements with the relevant university, the Medical Council of New Zealand, and Immigration New Zealand before applying.
We hope you find this article on how to become a doctor in New Zealand informative and helpful. Check out the Study in New Zealand and Available Programs for International Students pages to learn more about studying abroad.
