A clinical apprenticeship programme is one of the measures being introduced to help foreign doctors, including refugees, gain registration to work in New Zealand.
Health Workforce New Zealand estimates there could be as many as 500 overseas trained doctors in this country who are not at present able to practice medicine.
Chief executive Professor Des Gorman says those most likely to be able to pass the registration exam will be offered assistance in getting over the last hurdle, such as taking part in a clinical apprenticeship.
He says funding will be targetted in areas of need, so there will be a great deal of interest in overseas doctors whose speciality is in an area of shortage, such as psychiatry.
A union representing doctors says the scheme sounds promising, but more details are needed.
The National President of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, Dr Jeff Brown, says he wants to know how many doctors the new system will produce and what it will mean for those who will have a lot of work to do in supervising them.
Dr Brown says he would also like an assurance that those who are assisted in registering will not then go to work in Australia.
Anna Fyfe, who worked for four years for Auckland Refugee and Migrant Services, says a few migrant doctors have been able to pass medical exams in this country and become registered, but it is difficult, and the new scheme would be an improvement.
