Year 3 Programme Lead

Overview

• Lead the community and primary care year of Aotearoa New Zealand’s newest medical school
• Shape innovative, te Tiriti-led medical education across rural and regional sites
• Inspire future doctors to serve communities across Aotearoa

About the role

Be part of a truly transformative national initiative. The University of Waikato is establishing Aotearoa New Zealand’s newest medical school, the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine (NZGSM) — designed to grow a new generation of doctors who are clinically excellent, culturally grounded, and community-focused.

As Programme Lead – Year 3 you will oversee the community and primary care year of the Doctor of Medicine programme : a 40-week longitudinal placement in rural and regional communities. Students will be based in general practice, urgent care, and community health settings, working closely with patients and providers while completing advocacy and community projects that address health inequities and advance hauora Māori.

You’ll lead and coordinate this primary care–based curriculum across multiple regional sites, ensuring consistency, quality, and cultural safety in teaching and assessment. Working with the Assessment Lead, you’ll help design meaningful, authentic assessments that reflect real-world medical practice and community needs.

This is a 0.4 FTE, fixed-term role for 24 months, with competitive salary and benefits.

For more information on the role please see the position description. For a confidential conversation about the role, please contact Professor David McCormack, Interim Dean of Medicine, All applications must be submitted through the online portal; emailed applications will not be accepted.

Who are you?

You are a respected clinician or academic leader with deep experience in primary care, community health, or rural medicine. You hold a medical degree and are eligible for registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).

You bring strong academic and clinical leadership, experience coordinating multi-site programmes, and a passion for preparing students for community-centred medical practice. You thrive on collaboration and bring a reflective, culturally responsive approach to leadership and teaching.

Above all, you are committed to te Tiriti o Waitangi, hauora Māori, and advancing equity in healthcare across Aotearoa.

Who are we?

The New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine is a bold new initiative from the University of Waikato. It was established to meet the critical need for a medical workforce that is prepared for the realities of primary care, rural health, and community-centred practice.

Inspired by international best practice and grounded in te Tiriti o Waitangi, the School aims to educate doctors who are not only clinically excellent but culturally competent, digitally confident and socially accountable.

Why should you apply for this position?

Join us at a defining moment in medical education in Aotearoa New Zealand. At the University of Waikato, you’ll contribute to a transformative project that will have national impact and lasting legacy. Working with a passionate, multidisciplinary team, you’ll enjoy a supportive environment, professional growth, the satisfaction of shaping the first cohort of NZGSM medical graduates and the chance to make a lasting difference to health equity and the future of medical education.

Working with us means you’ll enjoy a satisfying work environment with many benefits. Applicants must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand in accordance with NZ immigration regulations which can be found here.

For the People

The University of Waikato prides itself on the quality of its engagement with the communities that it serves, the provision of a world-class education and the national and international impact of its research. Our policies are guided by the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi and equal opportunity for all.

E herea ana te Whare Wānanga ki te kaupapa kia whakoratohia te mea angitū ōrite ki ngā tāngata katoa.

Applications Close on November 9, 2025

Requisition number : #J-18808-Ljbffr