Post Graduate Year 2 (PGY2) requirements
Council requires all doctors in PGY2, to satisfy the requirements of a programme ordered by Council under section 40 of the HPCAA:
- Interns must complete four Council-accredited clinical attachments. All accredited clinical attachments span 13-weeks.
- Interns must continue to set goals in their PDP and work towards achieving them.
Endorsement on certificate
Practising certificates for PGY2 doctors are issued with an endorsement recording this requirement. Throughout PGY2, interns continue to be supervised and receive feedback from their Prevocational Educational Supervisor as well as Clinical Supervisors on each attachment. The level of day-to-day supervision required for PGY2 decreases as the intern moves to more independent practice.
Interns must continue to record and show progress in attaining the remaining NZCF learning outcomes. To be successful, interns need to achieve at least 95% (354) of the learning outcomes by the end of PGY2.
Removal of endorsement at end of PGY2 year
At the end of PGY2, interns must demonstrate through their ePorts that they have met the PGY2 prevocational training requirements. if they do, the endorsement on their PC will be removed. The Prevocational Educational Supervisor may make this decision. However, if they have concerns about whether the intern has met the programme requirements, the decision must be escalated to the Chief Medical Officer or delegate. If it’s decided the intern has not met the requirements, the intern must continue to work towards doing so and the PC endorsement will remain.
Post-PGY2 requirements
If the Prevocational Educational Supervisor is satisfied the requirements have been met, the endorsement is removed. The doctor must then, either:
- enrol and participate in the Council-approved recertification programme for doctors registered in a general scope of practice, administered by Best Practice Advocacy Centre New Zealand (bpacnz), or
- enrol and participate in an accredited vocational training programme
Flexibility during PGY2
While attaining competencies during prevocational training is vital, the Council is also clear that experience over time is necessary to develop and consolidate identified NZCF learning outcomes. So during PGY2, the intern has greater flexibility to take leave, have flexible working arrangements, enter vocational training or practise overseas. Further details for each of these scenario are included in the sections below.
Taking leave or having a flexible working arrangement in PGY2
When an intern takes leave in PGY2, it effectively pauses their training. On returning to practice they need to continue working towards the prevocational training requirements for PGY2. For example, if an intern takes leave for a full clinical attachment, they will need to complete an additional attachment in order for their Prevocational Educational Supervisor to consider recommending the removal of the endorsement.
Vocational training in PGY2
Interns can join vocational training programmes in PGY2. Interns participating in a vocational training programme need to undertake their training in clinical attachments, maintain their PDP and continue to record attainment of remaining NZCF learning outcomes in their ePort.
Working overseas in PGY2
It may be possible for an intern who wishes to practise overseas to have that time count towards their PGY2 requirements. Interns wanting to practice overseas must create a goal outlining their intentions, with information about the position and a proposed PDP. This is then considered by either:
- the advisory panel when they are reviewing their PGY1 progress, or
- their Prevocational Educational Supervisor if they apply part way through their PGY2 year.
All or part of PGY2 requirements may be completed in Australia, UK or Ireland subject to one of the following:
- Australia – a prevocational training position under the supervision of a specialist vocationally-registered doctor in a position approved for prevocational training.
- UK – a position in an approved practice setting that has been recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC) for prevocational training.
- Ireland – a supervised position approved by Irish Medical Council (IMC) for prevocational training.
An intern who wishes to practise overseas outside of these criteria must submit an individual application for approval to Council prior to going overseas. These are considered on a case-by-case basis.
While practising overseas, interns need to continue to maintain their record of learning in their ePort and work towards the goals in their PDP. This will include uploading completed supervision reports for time practised overseas. This is similar to UK graduates completing Foundation Year 2 while practising in New Zealand.
On an intern’s return, before a recommendation and application can be made to remove the endorsement on their practising certificate, a review of supervision reports from the time spent overseas and the intern’s overall progress in their ePort is required.
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PGY2-OS - Application for pre-approval to complete PGY2 overseas
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PGY2-OSER - Application for removal of PGY2 endorsement after completing PGY2 year overseas or when when referred to Council by Advisory Panel