General Surgeons

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 salaries and benefits of some roles are determined by collective agreements between unions and employers.

Employment agreements — Health New Zealandexternal link

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 is a range of additional allowances for:

• on-call
• evening, night and weekend work
• call back
• job size
• recruitment and retention
• special contribution.

Leave

Leave entitlements include:

• 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 to 12 months of parental leave, depending on the length of service, including 6 weeks of fully paid parental leave
• 12 paid public holidays and time in lieu or alternative holiday if rostered on
• long service leave and sabbatical opportunities.

Additional benefits

Additional benefits include:

• an annual continuing medical education (CME) allowance of NZD $16,000 (pro-rated for part-time employees)
• membership subscriptions of medical professional bodies are reimbursed by Health NZ
• your professional indemnity insurance is covered by Health NZ
• if eligible, up to a 6% matching superannuation contribution from Health NZ as your employer
• a relocation package for international candidates.

About KiwiSaver (superannuation savings scheme)

Leadership and career development opportunities

Health NZ 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, they can include:

• support and encouragement for research and publications
• mentorship opportunities for apprentice Junior Doctors/Registrars
• regional and national networks allowing 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.

Essential qualifications

• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or equivalent international medical degree
• Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) or equivalent international specialist qualification
• Higher qualification in Surgery recognised by the Medical Council of New Zealand
• Medical Council of New Zealand registration

Eligibility for registration

The Medical Council of New Zealand assesses international qualifications for comparability with New Zealand and Australian standards. General Surgeons trained in countries with comparable training programmes may be eligible for streamlined registration pathways.

For detailed information about registration requirements and the application process, visit the Medical Council website

Registration — Medical Council of New Zealandexternal link

Professional requirements

Once registered, General Surgeons must:

• maintain current Annual Practising Certificate
• participate in continuing professional development programmes
• meet recertification requirements as specified by RACS or equivalent college
• maintain professional indemnity insurance (covered by Health New Zealand)
• comply with the Medical Council of New Zealand professional standards.

As a General Surgeon with Health New Zealand, depending on location and service, your roles and responsibilities may include:

Clinical care delivery

General Surgeons in New Zealand provide comprehensive surgical care across acute and elective settings. Clinical responsibilities include managing emergency surgical cases, conducting elective operating lists, performing ward rounds and consultations, running outpatient clinics, and providing specialist surgical opinions to colleagues across multiple departments.

Acute general surgery and trauma

Participation in on-call rosters for acute general surgery is expected, with registrar and house surgeon support. On-call responsibilities include managing surgical emergencies, trauma cases, and acute abdominal conditions, with availability to respond promptly to urgent referrals and emergency consultations.

Elective surgical practice

Delivery of elective general surgery across a broad range of procedures, with opportunities to develop or maintain subspecialty expertise in areas such as breast and endocrine surgery, upper gastrointestinal surgery, colorectal surgery, surgical oncology, vascular surgery, and laparoscopic techniques.

Endoscopic procedures

Many roles include diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, performing gastroscopy and colonoscopy as part of comprehensive general surgical practice. Endoscopic skills support both acute and elective patient management.

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Active participation in multidisciplinary meetings and case discussions is integral to practice. General Surgeons work closely with emergency departments, anaesthetics, ICU, pathology, radiology (including interventional radiology), oncology services, nursing staff, and allied health professionals to deliver coordinated, patient-centred care.

Teaching and supervision

Clinical supervision and teaching of surgical trainees, registrars, house surgeons, and medical students form valued components of consultant practice. Some centres participate in the RACS National Training Scheme with accredited SET trainee positions, where active supervision and teaching are expected.

Quality assurance and service development

Participation in clinical audit, departmental quality improvement programmes, and service development initiatives supports continuous enhancement of surgical services. General Surgeons contribute to clinical governance, safety programmes, and ongoing development of services to meet patient needs.

Research and academic activities

Opportunities exist to engage with research activities, quality improvement projects, and academic contributions aligned with organisational standards. Some centres maintain affiliations with medical schools, providing opportunities for teaching and collaborative research.

Registering to work as a Senior Medical Officer in New Zealand

To work as a Senior Medical Officer in New Zealand, you will need to obtain vocational registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

Pathways to vocational registration

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 (such as Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada and some European countries), you may be eligible to apply directly for vocational registration without needing first to obtain general registration.
• In this pathway, 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.
• 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.

Provisional vocational registration pathway

• If 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 will practice in your specialty under supervision for a period, typically between 6 to 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.

General registration pathway

• If you do not meet the criteria for direct vocational registration, you may need to obtain general registration first if your qualifications and experience are not recognised as equivalent.
• This process to gain vocational registration includes:
  • a period of provisional general registration (with supervised practice) if necessary
  • after obtaining general registration, you can later apply for vocational registration once you have completed any further assessments or additional supervised practice required by the MCNZ.

Self-assessment

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

Registration self-assessment tool — Medical Council of New Zealandexternal link

Find out more about life in New Zealand

We have a page dedicated to providing information to candidates about our recruitment process, what you need to work in New Zealand and key details about moving here.

Living in New Zealand — Information for international candidates