Health Minister Shane Reti. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
There will be enough support for both junior and overseas-trained doctors with more placements set to be available from next year, Health Minister Shane Reti says.
The Medical Council is tripling the number of places for NZREX exam spots for international candidates next year, with up to 180 places instead of the 60 initially planned.
It will now have three exam dates in March, June and September 2025, up from two in 2024.
The NZREX is an exam that assesses the clinical safety of overseas-trained doctors who aren't eligible to be registered through any of the Medical Council's other pathways.
Reti said the lack of exam places had been raised with him repeatedly as a barrier to those doctors being employed by the health system, along with a lack of clinical placements.
"We find ourselves in a position that the first gateway for those doctors who are here in New Zealand, but they've been unable to participate in the New Zealand health system," he said.
"The first hurdle in getting places on the NZREX exam has been a challenge.
"A number of these doctors were sending me information, saying one minute after when the exams had opened, all the places had been taken.
"This makes no sense."
Internationally-trained doctors had reported that they had been working in call centres and driving Ubers due to barriers in getting registered.
The Association of Salaried Medical Specialists said an increased number of placements for international doctors could put more pressure on senior doctors in workplaces.
Executive director Sarah Dalton said this is already a problem in "some of the smaller hospitals".
"In terms of a medical workforce, they are being offered very very inexperienced people to come and work there which puts a huge amount of pressure on the specialist doctors that are there."
However Dalton said any increase in the number of doctors working in the country was cause for celebration.
Reti referred to last month's announcement of frontline funding for 50 new senior doctors when RNZ asked if more placements could lead to a lopsided workforce.
"We saw part of that plan three weeks ago when [I made that announcement].
"I've got my attention on all parts of the health workforce.
"I was a junior doc so I know what this looks like and you do need senior mentors to mentor junior doctors."