Salary:

Senior Medical Officers receive a base salary relative to their level of experience. This is agreed upon at the time of the job offer. There is a 15-step pay scale that SMOs continue to progress through on a yearly basis.

In New Zealand, the salary and benefits of some roles are determined by collective agreements between unions and employers. The full Senior Medical Officers collective agreement can be found on the Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora website here.

Additional allowances are paid on top of base salary and vary due to location and service and are often not specified in the collective agreement.

Allowances:

There are a range of additional allowances for:

• job size,

• recruitment and retention,

• and special contribution.

Leave:

• 6 weeks of paid annual leave.

• A minimum of 10 days of sick leave per year.

• 10 days of paid Continuing Medical Education Leave (CME), plus the ability to use annual leave tacked onto the end of your CME travel.

• 6-12 months of parental leave depending on the length of service, including 6 weeks of fully paid parental leave.

• 12 paid public holidays + time in lieu/alternative holiday if rostered on.

• Long service leave + sabbatical opportunities.

Clinical Dermatological care

• Conduct comprehensive clinical assessments and skin examinations for a broad range of dermatological presentations in both acute and complex cases.

• Diagnose and treat dermatological conditions referred primarily from general practitioners, within a public hospital outpatient setting.

• Utilise appropriate diagnostic investigations, including skin biopsies and laboratory tests, in collaboration with pathologists and laboratory services.

• Provide evidence-based medical management of skin diseases, particularly in the field of medical dermatology, which is the primary focus of the role.

• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary care environment, contributing to integrated patient care.

Procedural Dermatology

• Perform minor dermatologic surgical procedures under local anaesthesia, including diagnostic biopsies and therapeutic excisions.

• Participate in procedural dermatology or surgical lists depending on service needs and clinician interest.

• Manage postoperative care and procedural outcomes in accordance with service guidelines and best practice standards.

Professional & administrative responsibilities

• Allocate approximately 30% of role time to non-clinical duties, including service development, documentation, and engagement with quality improvement processes.

• Maintain accurate and comprehensive patient records, consistent with medical, ethical, and organisational standards.

• Participate in initiatives that support clinical governance, quality improvement, and patient safety within the service.

Cultural safety & equity

• Deliver patient care that aligns with the principles of Health New Zealand, including a commitment to equitable health outcomes and culturally safe practices.

• Acknowledge and support the specific health needs of Māori and Pacific peoples, in line with organisational expectations and public health values.

Dermatologists can follow interests including:

• Complex Medical Adult and Paediatric Dermatology

• Mohs surgery

• Dermatopathology

Medical Qualification:

Hold a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), or an equivalent overseas qualification recognised by the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ):

To practise as a Dermatologist in New Zealand, all candidates—whether New Zealand–trained or international—must obtain vocational registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ). Practitioners need to fulfil the requirements of the Medical Council to maintain registration in Dermatology

Annual Practising Certificate (APC):

All practising Dermatologists must hold a current APC issued by the MCNZ, which is renewed annually.

To retain an APC, Dermatologists must:

• Provide evidence of continued competence in the field of Dermatology.

• Participate in the accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme with the RACP.

Dermatologists' Professional Body - New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated

The New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated (NZDSI) is the professional organisation responsible for representing vocationally trained dermatologists in New Zealand, supporting high standards of clinical practice, education, and ongoing professional development in dermatology.

Learn more on the NZDSI website here

Registering to work as a Senior Medical Officer in New Zealand:

To work as a Senior Medical Officer in New Zealand you will need to obtain Vocational Registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

Pathways to Vocational Registration include:

1. Direct pathway to Vocational Registration:

• If you are an International Medical Graduate (IMG) with specialist qualifications from countries with medical systems deemed equivalent to New Zealand’s (e.g., Australia, the UK, the USA, Canada, or some European countries), you may be eligible to apply directly for vocational registration without needing first to obtain general registration.

• In this pathway, the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) will assess your specialist qualifications, clinical experience, and the medical system where you trained. If these are deemed equivalent, you can apply directly for vocational registration in your specialty.

• This pathway allows experienced specialists to bypass general registration and the provisional general phase, which is typically required for doctors without a recognised specialist qualification.

2. Provisional Vocational Registration pathway

• If the MCNZ determines that your qualifications and experience are largely equivalent but that you need some orientation or assessment within the New Zealand healthcare system, you may be granted provisional vocational registration.

• This means you’ll practice in your specialty under supervision for a period, typically between 6-12 months, before being granted full vocational registration.

• During this provisional Vocational Registration period, a specialist who practises in the same area of medicine as you will supervise you. 

3. General registration pathway

• Some IMGs who do not meet the criteria for direct vocational registration may first need to obtain general registration if their qualifications and experience are not recognized as equivalent.

• This process to gain Vocational Registration includes:

  • A period of Provisional General Registration (with supervised practice) if necessary.

  • After obtaining General Registration, they can later apply for Vocational Registration once they have completed any further assessments or additional supervised practice required by the MCNZ.

Take the self-assessment

The Medical Council of New Zealand have a self-assessment tool to help you easily determine which registration pathway you should take.

Use the Medical Council's self-assessment tool

Find out more about life in New Zealand

We have a page dedicated to providing information to candidates about our recruitment process, what you need to work in New Zealand and key details about moving here.

Visit our Candidate Information page