A career in public health may include influencing public policy, working to address inequalities, improving living conditions and ensuring the good health of the next generation.

Graduates of the NZCPHM Training Programme usually work in the following roles:

Medical Officer of Health

The Medical Officer of Health works as part of a team alongside other public health professionals to protect and promote the health of that community.  This role includes regulatory functions and is based in a Public Health Unit within a District Health Board.

Other Public Health Unit roles

These roles may include working in areas such as information and analysis, 'health in all policies' and health promotion.

Funding and Planning

These roles are based within District Health Boards and are focussed on needs assessment, population health input to DHB plans and processes, prioritisation and allocative decision making.

Advisory

Public Health Medicine Specialists work in a variety of advisory roles, including providing advice on regulatory and health policies, service development and planning of programmes.

Leadership and Management

These are roles within the health sector that focus on population-based services and personal health treatment services.  Public Health Medicine Specialists lead Ministry of Health programmes, provide advice to communities on ways to improve health outcomes, protect populations from environmental and biological hazards, and assess populations' needs for health services.

Academic Public Health

These research and teaching roles require a high level of academic expertise, and training for them usually includes a doctorate.

The graduate outcomes for the Public Health Medicine Training Programme are available here.

To gain a better idea of what a career in public health might entail, read about some of the public health medicine roles in New Zeland below. Note that public health specialists often work in more than one role.

Medical Officer of Health: Works alongside other public health professionals to protect and promote the health of the community.  This role includes regulatory functions and is based in a Public Health Unit within a DHB.

Advisors: On a variety of regulatory and health matters - includes service development and planning of programmes, e.g. advisor within the Ministry of Health and other national and international organisations.

Leadership and Management: Focus on population-based services, e.g. DHB CEO, Clinical Director.

Funding and Planning: Based within DHBs and focussed on needs assessment, population health input to DHB plans and processes, prioritisation and allocative decision making.

Research and Teaching: Roles requiring a high level of academic expertise.

Click here for examples of public health medicine roles in NZ

The NZCPHM supports its members to plan their careers and encourages Fellows to develop a Professional Development Plan (PDP).

"A PDP provides a focus for reviewing your work as a public health physician, consider where you are heading, and plan the competencies you will need to help you get there."

An active PDP is recognised as part of the NZCPHM requirements for continuing professional development.  A template is available.

A Career Plan is a requirement for all trainees in receipt of funding from Health Workforce New Zealand.  If you do not already have a Career Plan you can access the College Career Plan template here or use the resources available on the Health Workforce New Zealand website.

If you would like to take another look at your career direction, try the Windmills career site.

Registering as a Medical Specialist in Australia

Information is readily available on the web regarding how to register as a specialist medical practitioner in Australia. The following websites outline the Australian regulatory body requirements, immigration issues and general information about working as a doctor in Australia:

• Medical Board of Australia - Types of Medical Registration

• Working in Australia

• DoctorConnect - Specialists

Public Health Workforce Development

Another very helpful resource for finding opportunities to advance your career in public health is the Public Health Workforce Development website. This website offers information and resources about public health as well as information about public health careers, job vacancies, scholarships, conferences and training opportunities.

Here you will find listings for available jobs for both Registrars and Public Health Physicians.

The College provides a job vacancies advertising service free-of-charge to College members. Submitted advertisements are posted on the 'Home Page', this 'Job Vacancies' page of the College website and are placed in the College's monthly newsletter.

Non-members can also place adverts, at a cost of $170 excl GST for four weeks.  This service is not available for overseas positions.

If you would like to have a job posted in this area, please contact us on admin@nzcphm.org.nz

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Patient Safety Lead

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board is currently seeking a Patient Safety Lead to join their team based in the Tauranga Hospital, to start approximately late January. This is a newly developed full time position where you will be working across both the Tauranga and Whakatane Hospitals.

Clinical Effectiveness and Equity Lead

The Bay of Plenty District Health Board is currently seeking a Clinical Effectiveness and Equity Lead to join their team based in the Tauranga Hospital, to start approximately late January. The role will hold the responsibility for sustainably measuring healthcare quality and health outcomes to more precisely inform, plan and monitor clinical effectiveness and equity improvement initiatives.

HiAP Public Health Physician - Regional Public Health

Regional Public Health is looking for someone interested in covering a 6 month secondment as the programme lead for Health in All Policies.

Senior Medical Officer/Public Health Physician

Southern DHB is seeking a public health physician to be part of a team of senior colleagues in the Public Health Unit and contribute to providing leadership within the service and across the DHB. This is a senior medical officer of health (specialist/consultant) role within the DHB.

2020 Public Health Leadership Programme

The Public Health Leadership Programme is designed for people working in public health and builds leadership competencies identified as important for leaders in public health. Each programme has six days spread over several months. In 2020 one programme will be offered in Wellington and one in Auckland.

Director, Continuing Professional Development

We are seeking a new Director of Continuing Professional Development to provide professional leadership and oversight of the Tracking of Professional Standards (TOPS) programme run by the College and provide advice to the Education and Training Committee on continuing professional development (CPD) matters.

Public Health South Registrar Vacancy

Public Health South has one vacancy for a public health registrar, with the role beginning sometime between early and mid 2020.

Ernst & Young registrar vacancy

EY have an opportunity for a registrar placement from early 2020 which would suit someone in their final year of training.

Health Navigator Infectious Disease Subject Matter Experts

Health Navigator are searching for Public Health Medicine Specialists or Registrars to be Subject Matter Experts in Infectious Disease.

Health Navigator Clinical Editors and Reviewers

Health Navigator are looking for New Zealand-registered clinical editors and New Zealand-based clinical reviewers. The roles are suitable for those who are passionate about ensuring their whānau, friends, communities and all New Zealanders have access to accurate, easy to understand health content.