Intensive care medicine

Intensive care medicine involves the diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute, severe and life-threatening disorders of vital systems that are medical, surgical or obstetric in origin, and whether adult or paediatric.

Vocational training in New Zealand

Vocational training in intensive care medicine is administered by the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (CICM). Doctors who complete the CICM training are awarded the Fellowship of the CICM (FCICM).

  • College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand (CICM)

    The College of Intensive Care Medicine is the body responsible for intensive care medicine specialist training and education in Australia and New Zealand. The College has over 1000 Fellows throughout the world. The main office is located in Melbourne, with regional committees throughout Australia, and national committees in New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Am I able to apply to work as a recognised specialist in New Zealand?

To apply for vocational registration in intensive care medicine you need either:

  • the FCICM qualification; or
  • an international postgraduate medical qualification in intensive care medicine. The Council will then assess a combination of your qualifications, training and experience against the standard of the FCICM.

What standard will my training, qualifications and experience be compared against?

Recognised specialists in New Zealand must complete 8 years of training and satisfy the requirements below:

  • 2 years of general medical experience
  • a minimum of 12 months' basic training:
    • basic training is flexible, and provides the fundamentals of intensive care medicine, anaesthesia and other related disciplines, as well as a sound knowledge of relevant basic sciences. The trainee may complete this component as basic training in other specialties, and cross-credit it later to the intensive care programme. All positions must be supervised by a suitable specialist
  • 5 years of advanced training, including:
    • 24 months of core intensive care training
    • 12 months' clinical anaesthesia
    • 12 months' clinical internal medicine
    • 12 months' elective training within advanced training
    • submitting a formal project
    • passing a suitable primary examination before moving into advanced training
    • completing the Medical Australasian Donor Awareness Programme (ADAPT) workshop
    • participating in the CICM maintenance of professional standards programme.

Once a trainee has successfully completed all the examination and training requirements they will be awarded the FCICM.

I want to make a vocational registration application

To make a vocational registration application, please refer to the Vocational Registration Homepage and select the option appropriate for you.

Am I able to apply for other types of registration?

You may be able to apply for more than one type of registration. To find out which is the best fit for you, please use our self assessment tool.

  • Registration self assessment tool

    19 December 2023

    Use our registration self assessment tool to determine which pathway to registration (as a medical practitioner in New Zealand) you might be eligible for. Note: we do not cover student electives.