70 Percent Of 'New' Doctors Trained Overseas

Wednesday, 13 November 2024, 10:00 pm
Article: RNZ

• 2023/2024 growth - The number of registered doctors rose by 3.4 percent, from 19,344 to 20,010
• International medical graduates made up 71 percent of new registrations, a 16 percent increase in registrations from the previous year
• NZ trained doctors accounted for 29 percent of new registrations, a slight decrease of 4.5 percent from the number registered the previous year

Overseas-trained doctors made up more than 70 percent of new registrations in New Zealand in the last year, while the home-grown medical workforce is shrinking.

Data released by the Medical Council showed 1318 international medical graduates registered in the year to the end of June, up 16 percent on the year before.

That was more than twice as many New Zealand-trained doctors (535), who accounted for just 29 percent of new registrations, a fall of 4.5 percent.

The Medical Council said overseas doctors currently made up more than 43 percent of New Zealand's medical workforce, the highest proportion among comparable countries.

"The council remains committed to ensuring high-quality healthcare for all of Aotearoa New Zealand through carefully balanced registration pathways that uphold rigourous standards while supporting workforce growth. The council's model for integrating IMGs [international medical graduates] is recognised internationally as among the most flexible and supportive, setting a benchmark for comparable developed countries."

However, only 60 percent of foreign doctors were still practising after one year, and just one in four remained after a decade.

"We recognise that this challenging retention rate affects senior medical officers who support IMGs as they integrate into practice. To address this, the Medical Council is working with employers to improve IMG integration and retention through enhanced support, induction, and understanding of the local context."

Registrations for new doctors overall had bounced back since Covid-19, with a 9.5 percent increase in the last year.

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