Mō te tūranga
About the role
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Specialisations
Healthcare
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Entry type
Officer entry
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Vocationally trained initial salary
$203,464
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Location
Various
To achieve the task, the NZDF medical officer is expected to provide high quality care to defence personnel at home, on exercise, 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 provide this care to NZDF personnel, as required, be it 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 and Aviation Medicine, 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
- 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.
- Registration with the NZ Medical Council
- Must have completed postgraduate year 2 (PGY2)
- 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.
The New Zealand Army provides a Fellowship training programme to enable training towards the Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practice. A selection and prioritisation process is used for acceptance on this pathway. The NZ Army may also support vocational training in other disciplines such as sports, occupational and emergency medicine.
Fitness & Medical
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
Basic Training
Officer Cadet School
(12 weeks) Location: Waiouru Military Camp
Initial training begins in early January. Attendees at this training will be a mixture of Regular Force General List Officer Cadets, Regular Force Special List Officer Cadets, and Reserve Force Special List Officer Cadets.
The training will be split into three modules and attendance at Modules One, Two and Three is required for all Regular Force Officer Cadets. Reserve Force Special List Officer Cadets must attend Modules One and Three; this can be in the same year or in consecutive years.
Training covers:
- NZ Army Ethos and Values
- Self-leadership
- Physical Training
- Basic field-craft
- Military Unarmed Combat
- Weapon handling
- Navigation
- Battle-craft
- Radio telephone procedure
- Weapon handling
- Drill
- NZ Army tactics
- Leadership
02Job Training
Job Training
Training as a Medical Officer is developed case-by-case in consultation with the NZDF’s Chief Medical Officer and the senior Medical Officer at your local Defence Health Centre.
The training programme may consist of a combination of “on the job” experience, readings, completion of a series of prescribed tasks (a workbook), and discussions with other Defence Health professionals, to ensure you are familiar with Defence Force policies and systems.
03Ongoing Training
Ongoing Training
After initial employment and training the Defence Force may provide funding and study leave for Medical Officers to complete further professional study. Options may include, but are not limited to:
- Early Management of Severe Trauma Course
- Sports Medicine Course/Diplomas
- Musculo-Skeletal Medicine Course
- Dive Medicine Course
- GPVTP Registrar (RNZCGP Supervised)
- RNZCGP Supervision and oversight post GPVTP part 1
- Tertiary study
04Career Progression
Career Progression
As a Medical Officer in the New Zealand Army, you will be able to take your existing skills to the next level. The comprehensive training you will receive as an Officer will allow you to lead teams of people, in all kinds of situations.
You should be committed to providing high quality care to NZDF personnel at home and overseas, on exercises and on operations. You will sometimes be expected to work in diverse and challenging environments often in small multidisciplinary teams. Solid interpersonal skills and the ability to build and maintain strong teams will be a key attribute.
You should be adaptable enough in your clinical practise to work with confidence, often in austere environments on land, at sea or in the air. Health provision to defence is complex involving aspects of primary care, occupational medicine and emergency medicine. You should be willing to acquire and continually develop skills across this broad spectrum of experience.
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.
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Vocationally trained initial salary
$203,464
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Future potential earnings
$281,498
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
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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