Do you fancy a career where there's no such thing as a typical day?

As a GP you'll never know what is coming through the door next. You'll learn to expect the unexpected and thinking on your feet will become second nature. You'll need the skills to handle anything and everything – medical detective one minute, life coach the next. You'll know your patients well enough to see beyond their symptoms, and help change their lives.

Make a difference

Help more, help earlier and be the hand your patients need.

Change lives

Do more than just fix what’s broken – be part of your patients’ lives and the community. You’re equal parts detective, coach and clinician.

Have a balanced life

Get more variety and a job you love, that fits in with your family and commitments outside of work.

Do it your way

Have more control over your life and your career – choose where you live and work, follow your interests into a specialty, and even be your own boss.

Your road to becoming a GP


It takes three years of postgraduate study through The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners to become a GP.

Programme overview

The GP education programme is divided into two stages, and combines on-the-job experience and mentoring with workshops and seminars.

In the first year, you’ll get one-on-one teaching with an accredited GP teacher in two different general practices in New Zealand, and attend seminars and workshops with other GP trainees. At the end of that year, you’ll sit the GPEP clinical and written examinations. In GPEP2/3  (the next stage of the programme), you’ll work full-time in clinical practice.

Find out more about your journey to becoming a GP .

 

Completed undergraduate education in medicine

At least two years’ postgraduate medical experience – one year must be in New Zealand

Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand in general scope of practice

New Zealand citizenship or New Zealand permanent residency visa holder

GP perspectives

College Medical Director and Wellington GP Dr Richard Medlicott speaks to the New Zealand Medical Students Association's Emily Dwight about how he became a GP and what he likes about the work.

Listen to the podcast below.

     

Read Dr Richard Medlicott's article promoting general practice to those at medical school

     

Read some stories from our registrars who are currently on the GPEP Programme


Apply to become a GP

Are you interested in a career in general practice? Applications for the 2019 General Practice Education Programme will open in March 2019.

Learn more about applications