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New Year. New Job. New Lifestyle... New Zealand 2021.
If you’re thinking about your next career move, you won’t find a more unique location. We’re seeking a Consultant Ophthalmologist to be based in Gisborne in the beautiful Tairawhiti region on the East Cape of the North Island.
Gisborne is a small city (regional population 47,000 with 30,000 in the city itself), but for those who love the outdoors, good clean air, and a beautiful natural environment, you won’t get a better location to enjoy the relaxed NZ lifestyle and make a real difference in the local community.
- Closing 29 January 2021, NZ time
- Coastal community living – pack up the paddleboard and bring the kids;
- Fixed Term (12 months minimum), commence 2021
- FRANZCO or equivalent specialist qualifications, e.g. FRCOphth with CCT
- Applicants MUST be eligible for Locum Tenens registration with MCNZ (see below)
- Beautiful natural surroundings and marine life – white sandy beaches, native forest & birds, dolphins and orca.
The Department provides general/ophthalmic services with the occasional visiting subspecialist and backup from a tertiary centre. The Department is equipped with a brand new phako machine and the usual imaging and laser technologies, Zeiss Clarus, pentacam, OCT, argon/YAG/SLT laser etc. They provide a visiting orthoptist and botox clinic. The Department is active in research (both university based and with the Matai Lab) and teaching. There is a first year Ophthalmology Registrar employed.
Your working week will be split 70% clinical and 30% non-clinical time and you will be expected to participate in the on-call roster.
For this role, you will have broad specialist experience in Ophthalmology and a sound understanding of contemporary models of care. In addition, you will be an innovative thinker with ideas to contribute to the further development of the service.
You will have proven leadership skills and experience working in a multidisciplinary team environment; and an interest in medical education and teaching, including providing supervision and education to registrars and other clinical staff.
You will also enjoy working in a multicultural workforce, and being based in a friendly coastal community.
What’s on offer?
- Total package ranges NZ$180,000 - $300,000 per annum, depending on experience
- This includes: Base salary from NZ$164,369 to $244,560 pa, depending on level of experience; On call calculated on top of your base; Continuing Medical Education Allowance NZ$16,000 + 10 days CME leave pa.
- Plus relocation assistance
The Hospital
Hauora Tairāwhiti (Gisborne Hospital) is a comprehensive, well-equipped secondary hospital with modern facilities. They have established systems for tertiary support and clinical backup with Waikato Hospital, Auckland Hospital and Starship Hospital. This includes clinical advice and urgent transfer, if required.
The Hospital is committed to the needs of Māori who make up 65% of admissions to the hospital and form 46.2% of the region’s total population. There is also an active focus on Māori Health issues and respecting Māori culture and customs with regards to patient care. This makes Hauora Tairāwhiti a unique environment where you will encounter a diverse range of conditions, treatment procedures and cultural practices. For those not from New Zealand, this provides valuable exposure and experiences both professionally and socially.
The Location
Gisborne features a prevalent café culture and restaurants which serve locally sourced fresh produce and award-winning wines from local boutique vineyards. Local schools are excellent and real estate is affordably priced – there is something ideal to suit your needs from apartments, townhouses, something more rural (lifestyle block) or close to Wainui Beach. Gisborne enjoys warm summers (up to low-30s, degree celsius) and mild winters and is considered one of the sunniest places in New Zealand. It is also the first place to see the sunrise every morning.
Locals enjoy easy access to a fantastic untouched natural environment, which lends itself to such outdoor pastimes as surfing, paddle boarding, fishing, sailing, ocean swimming, mountain biking and hill walking etc. It’s also a popular holiday destination for other visiting Kiwis in the summertime, drawn to the hot summer weather, annual music festivals, vineyard tours and surfing competitions.
The local airport has regular daily flights to Auckland and Wellington airports (1 hr flights), making international connections easy, as well as making other domestic destinations such as Queenstown and the Bay of Islands easily accessible.
Additionally, you’re only a few hours drive from stunning Tauranga city and surrounding beaches in the Bay of Plenty, and the beautiful Hawke’s Bay wine region.
Find out more about Gisborne and the Tairawhiti region here.
Medical Registration
Ideally, you will hold FRANZCO and full Vocational registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).
If you are an overseas specialist Ophthalmologist, you will hold equivalent specialist qualifications from either Australia, the UK (FRCOphth via CCT) or Ireland (FRCSI via CCT) that will enable Locum Tenens (short term) registration. We can assist with medical registration and facilitate the work visa, if successfully appointed.
** Primary Source Verification using EPIC **
A Doctor’s relevant qualifications must be verified by ECFMG using the EPIC system on behalf of the Medical Council of New Zealand.
If you are committed to working in New Zealand, we encourage doctors to start this process off as soon as possible if you hold qualifications from outside NZ. Candidates are invited to log on to EPIC and complete this step online. EPIC verifies your identity and your qualifications directly with you.
Log on to EPIC here and read the FAQs section about how to get started.
Photo credit: tairawhitigisborne.co.nz - Wainui Sunrise, Damon Meade