Apply to study rural hospital medicine
The Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme (RHMTP) is how doctors’ study to become a Fellow of The Division of Rural Hospital Medicine and qualify to practise as a rural hospital doctor.
Applying for the RHMTP
To apply to study the RHMTP you need to:
- check you are eligible
- prepare your documentation, application answers, MCNZ registration type and date, and provide two referees reports
- complete your application form.
Key admission dates
- Applications open February-April each year.
- Formal offer letters for successful applicants will be sent in early June.
- RHMTP year 1 will starts in January the following year.
Eligibility
To apply to the RHMTP you must meet all these criteria:
- You must have completed two postgraduate years in rotating hospital runs or equivalent experience.
- You must hold general registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand.
- You must hold a Certificate of Professional Status from the Medical Council of New Zealand.
- You must hold New Zealand citizenship or permanent resident visa.
- You must have two clinical referee reports detailing recent medical experience.
- You must have completed six runs of hospital specialties. Read the run specialties.
Application process
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Step one: Check you are eligible
Make sure you meet criteria (above) that you need to meet before you can apply for the RHMTP.
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Step two: Fill in your application form and pay the $525 (ex GST) application fee
Applications are open February-April each year.
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Step three: Ineligible applicants are notified
Every applicant is screened for eligibility above. If you're not eligible, your application won’t be accepted. We will let you know what you can do to be eligible in the future.
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Step four: Selection interview
Successful applicants will be invited to a selection interview with two interviewers. One of these will be a rural hospital medicine clinical lead.
In your interview, you will be asked a series of questions, and your answers will be rated against these selection criteria:
- firm intention to enter rural hospital medicine
- preparation for rural hospital medicine
- readiness for vocational education for rural hospital medicine
- commitment to addressing Māori health disparities
- commitment to professional development
- self-care
- flexibility and availability
- communication skills.
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Step five: Letters of offer are sent
Formal offer letters for successful applicants will be sent in early June.
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Step six: Find employment
Every applicant is responsible for finding employment that allows them to meet the programme’s clinical attachment requirements.
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Step seven: Start the RHMTP
RHMTP year 1 will begin in January.