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Airforce

Medic

On the ground and in the air, you will experience a medical career unlike anything in civilian life, providing all aspects of medical care to Air Force personnel.

Mō te tūranga

About the role

  • Specialisations

    Healthcare

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • Location

    Various

As a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Medic you will be responsible for performing a variety of medical tasks in various locations.

The medical team is a vital part of the Air Force and secondly to the New Zealand Defence Force. As a Medic your role is to provide pre-hospital primary and emergency health care, occupational, environmental and preventative medicine to the RNZAF and Defence Force in operational and static environments, often under adverse conditions on the ground and in the air. It is a demanding role, and you will need to be tough and able to keep a cool head in stressful situations.

Accepting Applications

  • Recruit 3/25, starts 22 Sep 2025 Apply by 26 May 2025

    Apply Now

Requirements

Basics

  • Must be 18 years old by the time you graduate from recruit course.
  • Eligible to meet national security clearance criteria, as stipulated by the Government's Protective Security Requirements.

Citizenship

There are strict citizenship and security requirements to gain the required CV security clearance for this trade.
Find out if you’re eligible here.

Period of Service

Your training is some of the most thorough and advanced in the world. On completion of your formal (tertiary) training you may be contractually obliged to carry out a return of service to the Air Force.

We offer guidance on entry requirements in our eligibility section. Apply if you're uncertain, as we’ll work through the criteria with you to determine if you can proceed.

  • Job on base

    As a Medic, you will be posted to a Defence Health Centre where you will assist with daily duties including treating personnel with illness or injury, medical administration, minor surgery and medical cover for base emergencies. RNZAF defence health centres have personnel on standby for all military flights, both leaving and arriving on base or flying in the local area. These flights can occur any time of the day and at times you may be on call after hours to provide assistance if necessary. Medics are also involved in the provision of search and rescue operations and you may be required to provide on call and after hours support.

    RNZAF units continually train for military operations, not only on base, but also in field environments. Medical support is required for field exercises such as deployed flying exercises, parachuting, survival training, weapon range activities, and recruit training. A medic will attend most field activities and provide emergency medical care in the event of an incident (on the ground or in the air) and treat any illness or injury that may occur. Medics will often find themselves in situations where they are the only health care provider readily available, and therefore you will have training in emergency medicine. This starts with basic first aid but will extend through to areas including advanced cardiac life support, advanced airway management, advanced trauma life support, and intravenous fluid therapy.

    All RNZAF personnel have some first aid training. As you gain medical knowledge and experience, you will be involved in delivering this training, including CPR, first aid courses, advanced first aid for treating combat casualties, and training people who are preparing for overseas deployments.

  • Job on deployment

    The focus for a Medic on operational duties is the maintenance of optimum health amongst deployed personnel, and provision of emergency care to deployed personnel and to the local populace as required.

    You will perform duties such as daily medical consultations and treatment, checking hygiene standards, and environmental health control and prevention. You may get the opportunity to be part of forward Aeromedical Evacuation team.

    You may also be involved in humanitarian aid following cyclones or tsunamis in places such as Samoa and Indonesia, or the Aeromedical Evacuation of personnel from abroad back to New Zealand.

  • Learning pathways

    The NZDF is pleased to be partnering with Auckland University of Technology (AUT) to deliver training to our medics. This will see them completing a Level 6 Diploma in Paramedic Science and a Level 7 Graduate Certificate in Health Science. 

    These qualifications will be achieved through the completion of the Medic initial Training course at the Defence Health School. After graduation from Defence Health School, there is potential to continue part-time extramural clinical education with AUT towards a Bachelor of Health Science in Paramedicine.

Career progression and training

01Basic Training

02Job Training

03Ongoing Training

04Career Progression

Benefits & allowances

Earn a competitive salary while training or learning your trade, along with additional allowances for time spent in the field, at sea, overseas, or deployed on operations.

In addition to salary and allowances, other benefits of joining the New Zealand Defence Force include:

  • Access to your Service marae or tūrangawaewae
  • Sponsored tertiary study programmes at all levels
  • Free access to gyms and swimming pools on camp and bases
  • Opportunities to travel
  • Free and subsidised medical and dental care
  • Subsidised food and accommodation on camps and bases
  • Free and subsidised insurance cover
  • Help to buy a home and save for retirement

Salary & benefits

Careers in the Air Force are well-rewarded, as well as being diverse and exciting. As you become more experienced and move up through the ranks, gaining additional skills and qualifications, you will see your salary rise accordingly.

  • Under training

    $68,103

  • Future potential earnings

    $98,000

20220909 NZDF R1055140 005

Am I fit enough?

If you want to be part of the NZ Defence Force you need to be medically and physically fit for military duties worldwide.

Medical & Fitness
Air Force Application Process 20240920

The application process

Your step-by-step guide on what to expect at various stages of the application process, specifically for military roles.

Application process
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Ready to start your Air Force career?

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Tūranga whaipānga

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