Obstetric Anaesthesia · Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland · Aotearoa New Zealand

I came for
a year. That was
11 years ago.

I'm an anaesthetist working in a tertiary obstetric unit in Auckland. We're looking for specialist anaesthetists — and we have fellowship positions available for 2027 and 2028. If you're considering a move, or just curious, read on. Then get in touch.

Get in Touch → About the Unit
Auckland harbour at sunrise
~7,000
Births per year
Tertiary
Referral centre
Level 9
High-risk obstetrics & Gynae
Auckland
City · harbour · bush
The Work

The work is why
I stayed.

I work in a tertiary obstetric unit in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand). The unit is large and genuinely complex — placenta accreta spectrum, cardiac obstetric cases, high-risk maternal medicine managed longitudinally from pregnancy through to post-partum alongside a dedicated multidisciplinary team. The gynae-oncology work on the same floor rounds out a case mix that keeps you thinking. This is not a department where obstetric anaesthesia is something you do between the interesting cases. It is the interesting cases.

A lot of us came for a fellowship and didn't leave. That's not a coincidence — it says something about the team, the culture, and honestly, the place. We'd welcome applications from anaesthetists at any career stage, whether you're relocating internationally or already based in New Zealand.

We are committed to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to building a workplace that is genuinely equitable, inclusive, and accessible. We actively encourage applications from Māori, Pasifika, and other under-represented communities in medicine.

  • Placenta accreta spectrum, cardiac obstetric cases, high-risk MDT
  • Prenatal anaesthetic clinics and post-operative pain rounds
  • Senior on-call with genuine autonomy — not just holding a phone
  • Real relationships: MFM, haematology, ICU, neonatology — people who know your name
  • Teaching, QA/QI, research, wellbeing and management if you want them
  • Flat hierarchy — the consultants I trained under are now my colleagues
  • Pathway to FANZCA or recognition of overseas specialist qualifications
  • Committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi — equitable, inclusive, accessible
Fellowship — 2027 & 2028

The fellowship
is how most of us started.

A twelve-month fellowship, two rotations, and more clinical exposure than most anaesthetists get in years of consultant practice. We're accepting expressions of interest for 2027 and 2028 now. A lot of our current consultants started exactly this way — and most weren't planning to stay permanently when they arrived.

What the fellowship covers

Twelve months, two rotations. Here's what that actually looks like:

  • 6 months Obstetric Anaesthesia
  • 6 months Perioperative Anaesthesia with a focus on Gynae-oncology

Clinical exposure includes:

  • Placenta accreta spectrum management
  • Cardiac obstetric cases
  • High-risk obstetrics and complex maternal medicine
  • Multidisciplinary team involvement and antenatal clinics
  • Senior on-call experience
  • Gynae-oncology and perioperative optimisation

Eligibility: Post FANZCA Final exam, FRCA, FCAI (Irish), or equivalent overseas specialist qualification — including European and North American board qualifications.

Honestly, why here?

Because the cases are real, the supervision is genuine, and you won't spend twelve months doing service work with a fellowship title attached. You'll be in the room for the cases that most anaesthetists see rarely — and you'll have seniors around you who have done them many times. A lot of us who came through this programme didn't leave. Make of that what you will.

Outside the theatre

There's space for it, if you want it:

Teaching QA / QI Research Wellbeing Management
Aotearoa New Zealand

Things I wish someone
had told me before I came.

I'm not going to tell you it's perfect. But most people who make the move — from the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Europe, or elsewhere — say the same thing: they wish they'd done it sooner. Here's what I'd want someone to have told me.

🏔
The outdoors is not a weekend hobby

Skiing, surfing, sailing, hiking — these are Tuesday evening activities, not annual events. Queenstown is 2 hours by air. The Coromandel is 90 minutes by car. The bays around Auckland are a Tuesday evening.

⚖️
The hours are the hours

Rostered work means rostered work. Annual leave gets taken. The culture around recovery time is different — and most people find that a very pleasant adjustment.

🏫
If you have kids, this matters

Good public schools, an unhurried education culture, and children who play outside. I know colleagues who came for the job and stayed for their kids. That's not nothing.

🛂
The visa situation is better than you think

Specialist doctors are on New Zealand's Green List — Tier 1. The Straight to Residence visa means you arrive as a resident, not on a temporary work visa. No mandatory waiting period. Permanent residency follows after two years. I was surprised how straightforward it was.

🌏
You won't feel like a foreigner

Auckland is one of the most multicultural cities in the world per capita. The food, the communities, the colleagues — wherever you're from, there's a reasonable chance someone at work is too.

💵
The numbers are worth running

SMO salaries are set by collective agreement. Without private school fees and with lower costs than Sydney or London, the purchasing power is better than the headline figure implies. Worth doing the actual maths before assuming otherwise.

Making the Move

Less complicated
than you might think.

Registration

Overseas specialists register with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ). Most UK, Irish, South African, European, and North American board qualifications are recognised — FRCA, FCAI, FCA(SA), and European and North American equivalents have all come through this route. It felt daunting from the outside. It wasn't.

MCNZ: mcnz.org.nz

Visa & Immigration

Specialist doctors are on New Zealand's Green List — Tier 1. The Straight to Residence visa means you arrive as a resident, not on a temporary work visa. No mandatory waiting period before applying. Permanent residency follows after two years of living here.

Immigration NZ: immigration.govt.nz

Applying

Positions are formally advertised through Health New Zealand. But get in touch with us first — it will save you time and we can give you a much clearer picture of what's actually available before you commit to a formal application.

Official vacancies:
View current positions →

Salary & Conditions

SMO remuneration is set by collective agreement — starting point depends on years of experience post-qualification. Relocation assistance, CME allowance, and professional development support are standard. Ask us directly and we'll give you honest numbers.

Clinical Resource

Placental Transfer
Estimator

A decision-support tool for estimating placental drug transfer — built within the department for use in obstetric anaesthetic practice. Useful for counselling, clinical planning, and teaching.

Developed by anaesthetists at National Women's Hospital, Auckland.

Get in Touch

Drop us a line.
No CV needed.

A few lines about where you are and what you're looking for is enough. We'll respond directly — and if it helps, we can connect you with someone who made the same move you're considering.

Official vacancies: Health NZ careers portal →

On the official process.

There is a formal application channel and you'll need it eventually. But a conversation first means we can tell you whether a role is genuinely available, whether your qualifications translate directly, and what the actual timeline looks like — before you spend time on paperwork.

For fellowship enquiries: EOIs for 2027 and 2028 are open now. Get in touch early. The good conversations happen well before any formal closing date.