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Airforce

Medical Officer (Doctor)

NZDF health is tasked with maintaining, improving and restoring the health of the Defence Force in order to maintain the operational effectiveness of the NZDF.

Mō te tūranga

About the role

  • Specialisations

    Healthcare | Officers & Management

  • Entry type

    Officer entry

  • Vocationally trained initial salary

    $203,464

  • Location

    Various

NZDF health is tasked with ‘maintaining, improving and restoring the health of the defence force’ in order to maintain the operational effectiveness of the NZDF. To achieve this the NZDF medical officer is expected to provide high quality care to defence personnel at home and on operations.

The Defence Medical Officer is a generalist with a diverse role that includes aspects of primary care, occupational medicine, sports/musculoskeletal medicine, expeditionary medicine, prehospital medicine and acute care. The NZDF medical officer will be expected to provide this care to NZDF personnel, as required on land, at sea or in the air. NZDF health is committed to providing opportunities to develop and maintain the skills and experience required to deliver this care. Individual services may provide opportunities to acquire specific occupational knowledge or skills including Dive Medicine, Aviation Medicine etc however these are not exclusive to any particular service.

If you have referred to the minimum entry requirements below, but would like more information on this role please email specialists@defencecareers.mil.nz

Requirements

Basics

  • Registration with the NZ Medical Council
  • Must have completed postgraduate year 2 (PGY2)
  • Eligible to meet national security clearance criteria, as stipulated by the Government's Protective Security Requirements.
  • Pass an Officer Selection Board

Education

Essential Requirements: 

  • Registration with the NZ Medical Council
  • Must have completed postgraduate year 2 (PGY2)

Desirable qualifications and experiences: 

  • Experience in the delivery of primary care,
  • Vocational qualification and registration in a primary healthcare speciality (general practice, acute care and occupational health),
  • Clinical experience in pre-hospital emergency care (PHEC),
  • Experience in sports and exercise medicine,
  • Experience in occupational health.

Applicants would also benefit from experience in small multidisciplinary teams, austere or expeditionary medicine, and/or previous military service.

Scholarship Entry

The Air Force offer undergraduate scholarships for candidates who demonstrate the qualities required to become Medical Officer.

The scholarships are:

  • Graduate Incentive Scheme: Study at the university of your choice, and on completion of your degree, you will be paid an increasing incentive over the next four years with the monetary value based on the number of full time study years successfully completed. 

View our Scholarship programs.

Citizenship

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

Period of Service

There may be a return of service period for this trade.

Please contact our 0800 number or talk to your Candidate Experience Facilitator for more information.

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.

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

Remuneration for Medical Officers is benchmarked against the DHB, with military factor and superannuation contribution (if joining a scheme) in addition. Candidates will be assessed individually for their starting remuneration step based on post graduate qualifications and experience. The figures below are only an indication of salary.

  • Vocationally trained initial salary

    $203,464

  • Future potential earnings

    $281,498

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
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