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 $160 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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Chief Executive Officer

The PHANZ Council is currently seeking expressions of interest for the role of Chief Executive. The incoming CE will lead their team in building on PHA’s existing strengths and reputation, and drive delivery on its key strategic priorities. As a membership association, the CE will be instrumental in ensuring all PHA activities are in line with the collective ambitions of its membership and our values.

Public Health Physician/Clinical Director

We are currently interested in hearing from you if you are an experienced Public Health Physician looking for a clinical role, and have an interest and appetite for contributing to the provision of clinical leadership to the service.

Executive Director, Health Improvement & Equity

HBDHB seeks to appoint a strategic leader and experienced team manager with population and public health improvement experience to work collaboratively with multiple agencies and the DHB’s teams to improve health outcomes and reduce inequities within the district’s communities.

Training Programme Director

This is a significant leadership role for a College Fellow and a unique opportunity to shape the future public health medicine specialists of New Zealand.

Specialist in Public Health Medicine/Medical Officer of Health

Hawke’s Bay District Heath Board has an excellent opportunity for a specialist who is committed to developing their career in Public Health Medicine. Duties and areas of responsibility will be negotiated with the Clinical Director, Strategy and Health Improvement Directorate, the other incumbent Medical Officer of Health and the Service Manager, Population Health.

Registrar

The Public Health Group in the Ministry of Health has a vacancy for a full time public health medicine registrar from January 2019. We seek a registrar who has been accepted for the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine's training programme.

Public Health Medicine Registrar

The Hawke's Bay DHB are offering a one year registrar position within the Population Health Service in Hawke’s Bay from July 2019. This placement is between 6-12 months (part-time option available).

Public Health Medicine Specialist

A rewarding opportunity has now arisen to join the ARPHS team as a Public Health Medicine Specialist. This is your chance to show how your medical expertise can make a difference as you apply public health principles in the prevention, surveillance and control of communicable and enteric diseases.