Doctors care for people's health and well-being. From local general practitioners to physicians who may have spent half their lives studying specialities such as surgery, psychiatry or cardiology, doctors prevent, diagnose, treat and cure illness, injury and diseases.

 

Medicine is a caring profession, which provides great satisfaction to those who enjoy understanding and helping people. There are all kinds of opportunities to follow a range of personal medical interests while providing a community service in a respected profession.

 

This subject comprises the Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB).

 

Entry to Medical School is competitive. The Otago Health Sciences First Year counts as the 1st year of the 6-year degree.

 

2nd- and 3rd-year medicine includes the study of body systems such as cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal and renal, respiratory, and musculoskeletel as well as subjects such as blood, brain and behaviour, genetics, infection, immunity & cancer, metabolism, reproduction, development & ageing, systems integration, and patient, doctor & society issues.

 

After the 3rd year you will choose to relocate to one of 3 Schools of Medicine in Dunedin, Wellington or Christchurch. The 4th and 5th years centre on clinical work in hospitals, clinics and practices. The 6th year is a trainee internship where you have an opportunity to study an area that interests you for 3 months, usually in a new location, often overseas.

 

There are plenty of opportunities to work in rural areas, major cities and small community practices in NZ and overseas.

 

Before you can practise as a doctor in NZ, you must gain registration with the Medical Council by completing 1 year of supervised practice in a hospital.

 

After that, you can choose to work here or abroad, in the public or private sectors, and in a number of specialist areas that will require further study - typically another 5 years for specialist registration - while you work. Specialties include mental health, rural general practice and surgery.

 

Please visit our website:

 

For advice please contact a University Liaison Officer.

 

Email: medical-faculty@otago.ac.nz

 

Write to or visit:

Faculty of Medicine

Ground Floor, Sayers Building

Great King St

University of Otago

PO Box 913, Dunedin