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Useful experience for gynaecologists/obstetricians includes:

• work in hospitals or other health-related work, such as in clinics
• work caring for people.

Gynaecologists/obstetricians may do some or all of the following:

• identify and treat problems of the female reproductive system, such as menstrual disorders, abnormal bleeding, miscarriages, infertility and cysts
• check and provide treatment for cancer of the female reproductive system
• examine and prepare treatment plans for pregnant women, particularly women with known health conditions such as asthma
• deliver babies and check the post-delivery progress of mothers
• discuss and prescribe contraceptive options
• perform surgery when necessary
• consult with other medical professionals about patient care and treatment
• keep medical records and send final reports to general practitioners
• teach medical students and trainee gynaecologists/obstetricians
• carry out research.

Number of factors contribute to shortage of gynaecologists/obstetricians

There is a shortage of gynaecologists/obstetricians due to:

• New Zealand's growing population
• many doctors prefer to live in the main cities, leading to shortages in rural areas
• an ageing workforce – nearly a third of specialist doctors, including gynaecologists/obstetricians, are over 55 years old and due to retire in the next 10 years
• a worldwide shortage of specialist doctors, which means that it can be hard for New Zealand to attract gynaecologists/obstetricians to work here
• the long training period of 14 years to become a fully qualified gynaecologist/obstetrician.

Gynaecologist/obstetrician appears on Immigration New Zealand's long-term skill shortage list. This means the Government is actively encouraging skilled gynaecologists/obstetricians from overseas to work in New Zealand.

According to the Census, 138 gynaecologists/obstetricians worked in New Zealand in 2018.

Gynaecologists/obstetricians work for public and private hospitals

Gynaecologists/obstetricians work in public or private hospitals, or a combination of both, and may also work in university medical schools.

• District health boards employ all the gynaecologists/obstetricians who work in public hospitals.
• Private hospitals usually employ gynaecologists/obstetricians on a casual basis.
• The medical schools at the Universities of Auckland and Otago employ gynaecologists/obstetricians in teaching and research roles.

Medical Council of New Zealand

0800 286 801 - www.mcnz.org.nz

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG)

(04) 472 4608 - ranzcog@ranzcog.org.nz - www.ranzcog.edu.au

Gynaecologists/obstetricians may progress to teach students and trainee gynaecologists/obstetricians at larger hospitals. They can also become senior consultants with responsibility for gynaecological/obstetric departments.

Gynaecologists/obstetricians may move into specialist areas such as:

• gynaecological oncology (focusing on treating women who have cancers of the reproductive organs)
• high-risk pregnancies
• urogynaecology (the diagnosis and treatment of incontinence in women)
• fertility.

Gynaecologists/obstetricians need to be:

• interested in women's health
• able to work well under pressure and remain calm in emergencies 
• able to make good decisions, and solve problems
• good at managing time
• good at working in a team
• understanding and good at listening
• good at report writing 
• skilled at communicating and inspiring confidence in others 
• understanding of other cultures' attitudes to medical treatment.