Dr Chris Jackson is a medical oncologist and Professor of cancer medicine. Photo: Cancer Society of New Zealand
A New Zealand oncologist hopes the social media post he sent after Donald Trump's US presidential win will entice sought-after cancer specialists to New Zealand.
On the night of the US election, Professor of cancer medicine, Chris Jackson, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, asking US oncologists whether they are interested in moving here.
His post said: "Hello US oncologists - anyone interested in moving to NZ, we're recruiting. Fixed term positions of 4 years are available. Permanent posts also. Jobs available from 6 Jan. DM for more details."
So far, Jackson hadn't managed to snag anyone, but said people from many different specialities had been in touch.
When Donald Trump was elected as president in 2016, Jackson said a couple of medical oncologists moved to New Zealand as a result.
Jackson told Checkpoint there was "no such thing as a dark cloud without a silver lining", and New Zealand had enough funding for more oncology staff but not enough bodies.
"We're short in a number of areas, particularly we need medical oncologists and radiation oncologists - so the doctors in charge of chemo and radiation therapy."
People working in other specialities including paediatrics mental health and surgery had been in touch, Jackson said and a Belgian oncologist he hoped was "on the hook".
But so far, no American oncologists.
"We don't have the salaries they do overseas but we have a lot to offer and our socialised healthcare system is actually quite unusual internationally.
"Most docs are coming from the UK and Ireland, but that may change and we're certainly open to people from the US. New Zealand is a great place to live and work."
Oncologists coming from the US would have to do a period of supervision when they begin working in New Zealand, Jackson said, but it was a "pretty easy" transition.
"Our workforce is very reliant on overseas trained doctors and whatever we can do to get them over here is good."
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