Recertification and professional development
To ensure that you are continuing to maintain your competence to practise medicine, you must meet recertification programme requirements set by Council, including any minimum continual professional development (CPD) requirements.
What is recertification?
The Medical Council is responsible for ensuring that you are competent and fit to practise medicine. One of the ways that it does this is by requiring you to meet the requirements of recertification programmes set by Council, including satisfying any continuing professional development (CPD) requirements included in the programme.
A recertification programme is the name given to the set of activities and processes that Council requires you undertake or satisfy, on an on-going basis, to demonstrate that you are continuing to maintain your competence to practice. This includes participating in continuing professional development, including peer reviews, audits of medical practice, and continual medical education.
Regular practice review (RPR)
The Medical Council also uses regular practice review (RPR) as part of your continuing professional development. RPR is a quality improvement process, aimed at maintaining and improving standards of the profession.
More information about RPR can be found in our policy on regular practice review.
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The Medical Council of New Zealand (the Council) wants to ensure that recertification programmes for all doctors are robust, help assure the public that the doctor is competent and fit to practise, and improve the current high standards of practice of doctors in New Zealand.
Requirements for each scope of practice
Your recertification programme requirements will generally depend on what scope(s) of practice you are registered and practising in. However, there are exceptions and special cases. Please check the categories below to determine your specific requirements, relevant to the scope(s) of practice you hold:
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This page sets out the recertification programme requirements for doctors registered in the General scope of practice only. The requirements will be different if you also have a vocational scope of practice.
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If you are registered and practising in both a vocational scope and in the General scope of practice, you do not have to join the Inpractice recertification programme provided by bpacNZ. You will however still need to meet recertification programme requirements in both scopes of practice.
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If you are on a provisional general scope you are not required to participate in a recertification programme. Instead, you must practice under the supervision of another doctor approved by Council.
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If you are practising in a provisional vocational scope you do not have formally set recertification programme requirements. Instead, you will be working under supervision, and within the framework set out in your tailored supervision plan and associated training plans.
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If you are registered in a special purpose scope, you will not have to meet any recertification requirements, instead you will work under strict supervision for the duration of your period of registration.
Changes to your recertification
You need to contact us if you are planning to make changes to your recertification. It is important that your practising certificate accurately reflects how you are meeting our recertification requirements.
If you hold a general or vocational scope
Please contact us by email at pc@mcnz.org.nz. This includes changes to:
- your vocational training programme,
- your enrolment in inpractice,
- your College CPD programme, or
- if you are intending to work in an area outside of your scope of practice (which will require a collegial relationship).
You must be enrolled and actively participating in the appropriate CPD programme at all times while you are practising, even if you are just doing locum work.
If you are taking a break from your recertification programme and wish to continue working, please contact us to discuss what options are available to you.
If you hold a provisional general, provisional vocational, or special purpose scope
Any changes to your employer or supervisor will first need to be approved. Please contact us at enquiry@mcnz.org.nz to discuss any potential changes or see the page below around how to apply for a variation.
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Tell us who you are so we can better direct your enquiry
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You cannot work outside the requirements of your scope of practice and any requirements imposed by Council specific to you. If you are registered within a provisional (general or vocational) scope of practice or a special purpose scope, and your employment, supervision, position or location changes, you must apply for an amendment or variation to the endorsement on your scope of practice.
Other recommended reading
In addition to the pages listed above, we would also recommend you read our guide Recertification and Continuing Professional Development.
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All doctors practising in New Zealand must recertify through a New Zealand-based recertification programme.. This booklet outlines the recertification programme requirements as they apply to doctors who are registered and practising in New Zealand.
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The HPCAA requires Council to ensure doctors are fit and competent to practise medicine. Council does this in part by setting and recognising recertification programmes under section 41 of the HPCAA, and requiring doctors’ participation in those programmes.