A new government-funded training initiative at Rotorua Hospital is allowing overseas-trained doctors to return to clinical practice and fulfil long-held ambitions of working in medicine.
Dr Gursharan Dhami, originally from India, and Dr Bhenaa Chandar, from Malaysia, are among the first participants in a two-year primary care training programme aimed at strengthening New Zealand’s general practitioner (GP) workforce. Both doctors had previously trained and worked in their home countries but were unable to practise in New Zealand due to limited training pathways, as reported by Megan Wilson of the New Zealand Herald.
The programme, announced last year by Health Minister Simeon Brown, was designed to support up to 100 internationally trained doctors in transitioning into general practice roles. At the time of the announcement, Brown highlighted the gap in opportunities, stating, “It makes no sense that overseas-trained doctors living in New Zealand are willing to work in primary care, but can’t, because there aren’t enough training opportunities,” the New Zealand Herald has quoted.
He added, “We are fixing this by building on a successful pilot in the Waikato and will support their transition into general practices that need them most,” the New Zealand Herald has quoted.
According to a report by Megan Wilson of the New Zealand Herald, interest in the initiative has been strong, with 180 overseas-trained doctors expressing interest, according to Health NZ. The programme, which has now been rolled out nationwide after successful pilots in the Lakes, Waikato, and Taranaki regions, focuses on helping doctors gain registration while preparing them for GP roles.
For Dhami, the programme represents a return to a lifelong passion. She said she had always admired doctors for their ability to support people in vulnerable moments. After moving to Christchurch to pursue a master’s degree in health informatics before the Covid-19 pandemic, she later settled in New Zealand and worked as a healthcare assistant in Hamilton.
According to the New Zealand Herald, she described the transition process for internationally trained doctors as complex, noting, “It can take time to understand the local clinical guidelines and gain experience within the system, so programmes like this are incredibly valuable in helping bridge that gap.”
Dhami relocated to Rotorua to take part in the programme and said she is open to continuing her career there or in other underserved areas. “I’m also open to working in other areas of New Zealand where doctors are needed, especially in rural communities that may have limited access to healthcare.”
Chandar’s journey has been similarly shaped by persistence and adaptation. After training in India and Malaysia and working in internal medicine, she moved to New Zealand in 2023. She gained insight into the local healthcare system through an observership at Auckland City Hospital before joining the GP training programme.
She said the initiative has helped her reconnect with her original aspirations. “It gives me a structured pathway to rebuild my confidence, update my clinical knowledge, and understand how healthcare works in New Zealand. For someone trained overseas, that support makes a huge difference,” the New Zealand Herald has quoted.
Now settled in Rotorua with her husband, Chandar reflected on her connection to the region, saying, “In my own faith, I believe God guides us in subtle ways, and sometimes I feel He placed me exactly where I needed to be, in a city rich in Māori culture, community, and connection,” as quoted by the New Zealand Herald.
Local healthcare leaders say the programme could play a key role in addressing workforce shortages. Rotorua Area Primary Health Services chair Dr Genevieve Matthews described it as an “exciting project” with potential to boost GP numbers both locally and nationally.
She warned that the current shortage remains serious, saying the GP workforce gap in Rotorua is “significant and concerning” as practices prepare for increased patient demand in the coming winter months.
Placements for the programme’s GP rotations in local practices are expected to be confirmed in the coming months, marking another step toward integrating overseas-trained doctors into New Zealand’s healthcare system, according to a report by the New Zealand Herald.