New Primary Care Pathway to increase GP workforce a win for health care and patients
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners is welcoming the establishment of the Primary Care Pathway to give medical graduates in year 2 of their Post Graduate training (PGY2) the opportunity to train and work in general practice.
A funding package to improve access to primary care and boost the primary care workforce was announced by Health Minister Simeon Brown in March 2025 as part of a wider commitment to fix New Zealand’s health system and improve health outcomes.
In this announcement, Minister Brown confirmed that up to 50 New Zealand-trained PGY2 doctors would train in primary care settings each year.
The College is optimistic that by providing more in-depth exposure to primary care services more medical graduates will get to see firsthand how comprehensive continuity of care in the community and close to home is vital to keeping patients healthy and out of ED and hospital.
College President Dr Luke Bradford says, “The job of a specialist GP is not for the faint hearted, but it is one of the most rewarding parts in medicine. By encouraging more medical graduates to experience the job firsthand we hope the stigma that is often associated with our job is diminished and that this Pathway will lead to a significant increase in trainees joining our College to become specialist GPs.”
College Medical Director Dr Prabani Wood says, “As a College and a workforce, we are excited to highlight the truly impactful nature of the specialist GP role and the wide-ranging opportunities that come along with it, and look forward to welcoming doctors who gain their registration through this pathway in to our College whānau.
“However, for this initiative to be successful and grow the next generations of the workforce, we must also ensure that our current workforce who will be doing the training and supervision of these PGY2 doctors are well-supported to do this alongside their usual clinical, leadership and governance roles.”
House Officers holding MCNZ general scope, including those who obtain MCNZ general scope through the New Zealand Registration Examination (NZREX), will meet the experience requirements to apply for the General Practice Education Programme (GPEP) by successfully completing PGY2, and includes those on the Primary Care Pathway placements.
More information about the Primary Care Pathway and how to apply is available on the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora ‘Primary Care Medical Pathway’ webpage. EOIs are open until Friday 9 January 2026.
