37 Healthcare Preparatory Programs in New Zealand

The Postgraduate Diploma in Surgical Anatomy (PGDipSurgAnat) is a one–year Program providing instruction in clinically relevant anatomy to New Zealand registered medical practitioners or those with an equivalent overseas qualification.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine (PGDipMSM) is specifically aimed at medical practitioners in general primary care, trainees in associated specialist disciplines, and those wishing to commence training towards specialisation in Musculoskeletal Medicine. The diploma is available to students living and studying within New Zealand or Australia. It comprises ten papers taught over a minimum of two years, and includes both distance- and Internet-based theoretical teaching, and two practical 'hands-on', on-campus components.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences (PGCertHealSc) is designed to enable health professionals to specialise in specific areas of practice at a postgraduate level, studying on a part-time basis. In general, this qualification is intended for health professionals who have completed three years of tertiary study and already have experience in the field.

You’ll develop knowledge about how the body functions at various levels, from the physical, chemical, biochemical, molecular and cellular levels, through to functional organ systems and factors affecting health and disease in human populations. You’ll gain a strong foundation in the biological sciences, unlocking a wide range of study pathways in health-related fields.

The discipline of general practice involves comprehensive, continuing, community-based medical care of individuals and families for a defined practice population. There is an emphasis on prevention of disease and the earliest possible identification and intervention. The diploma provides an opportunity to address these issues, while still leaving wide choice of subject content, for example including travel and migrant medicine, rural hospital practice, sexual health, and palliative care.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Community Dentistry (PGDipComDent) is a one-year (full-time) or two-year (part-time) program for a person who wishes to undertake advanced study in dental public health, but who does not intend to pursue a specialist career in dental public health.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Medicine (PGCertOccMed) is a one-year, part-time, distance-taught program that provides core competencies for medical practitioners who provide occupational health services at a non-specialist level. It is particularly suitable for General Practitioners, Family Doctors, Internal Medicine Specialists, Neurologists etc. who consult on health and wellbeing and the workplace.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Travel Medicine (PGDipTravMed) builds on the PGCertTravMed. It adds to the foundations of travel medicine by exploring tropical infectious diseases in greater depth. Elective papers cover wilderness and expedition medicine and migrant and refugee health. As such, the diploma is an advanced nationally-recognised qualification for health professionals who practise in the field of travel medicine.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Musculoskeletal Medicine (PGCertMSM) is specifically aimed at medical practitioners in general primary care, and trainees in associated specialist disciplines. It comprises a selection of five papers from ten papers offered, and can be completed on a part-time basis. The papers include both distance- and Internet-based theoretical teaching, and a practical 'hands-on', on-campus component.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dentistry (PGDipClinDent) may be undertaken full-time (one year) or part-time (two years) at the Faculty of Dentistry depending on the endorsement. Clinical and academic teaching will be evidence-based and will emphasize the comprehensive nature of dental practice with integration of clinical and non-clinical disciplines. Current knowledge of clinical practice and related sciences will be emphasized. Clinical practice, seminars, assignments, case presentations and problem-based learning will be employed as teaching methods.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology (PGDipCDTech) is a one year full-time course involving formal education, teaching and clinical practice held at the Faculty of Dentistry in Dunedin.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science (PGDipMLSc) is open to well-qualified BMLSc graduates, and other medical laboratory scientists who can demonstrate an interest and aptitude for research. The Diploma is designed to prepare candidates for full-time research and thesis preparation for a Master of Medical Laboratory Science (MMLSc) degree, and thus includes a mix of course work and basic research. Both the Diploma and the Masters degree may be taken part- or full-time. There are special requirements to be met, and candidates are advised to consult with their potential supervisor, and with the BMLSc Course Director as early as possible.

The Postgraduate Certificate in General Practice (PGCertGP) is offered to medical practitioners who require certification of participation and satisfactory completion of approved postgraduate papers.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Occupational Medicine (PGDipOccMed) is a two-year, part-time, distance-taught program for international students. The diploma is a stand-alone qualification used as a qualifying possible point for admission to Fellowship of Occupational Medicine training for specialist training in many countries around the world.

The University of Otago offers several papers in obstetrics and gynaecology designed for family planning trainees, midwives, general practitioners, continuing medical education registrants and candidates for the Postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and Medical Gynaecology (PGDipOMG).