The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners

Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme

The Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme is four years long. There is a large emphasis on recognition of prior learning and experience and many registrars apply to have this acknowledged with the result that their programme is shortened.

Training in general practice alongside rural hospital medicine is popular, as these two vocational training programmes can be completed concurrently within a four-year period.

The specialty of rural hospital generalism requires a broad base of experience in large and small hospitals and in general practice. In order to assist you to choose relevant experience that meets both the requirements of the programme and your learning needs, you are allocated an Educational Facilitator (EF) as a mentor and guide. Your EF is a Fellow in the specialty of rural hospital generalism and is usually based in your region. For each run that you undertake, you also have a rotational supervisor who works alongside you in clinical practice.

The academic content of the programme is delivered by the University of Auckland and the University of Otago. There are a variety of postgraduate papers available that are both compulsory and elective.

Experiential Pathway to Fellowship

The Division provides training and recertification for rural hospital doctors to enable them to apply to the MCNZ for vocational registration as a rural hospital doctor. Rural hospital doctors are able to work independently in rural hospitals, without supervision.  

The Division's Experiential Pathway to Fellowship is available for doctors who have considerable experience in a rural hospital. For detailed information about the Pathway, please download the Experiential Pathway Criteria document below.

NB: The Experiential Pathway to Fellowship closes in March 2013.