Orthopaedic Surgeon

• Work in NZ's beautiful region of Whanganui where a relaxed healthy work life balance is encouraged
• A 138 bed-Care Capacity Demand Management (CCDM) secondary hospital
• Fixed-term, full-time (1 FTE) role for 6 months
• A smooth relocation transition is guaranteed

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

Health New Zealand- Whanganui has an exciting opportunity for a fixed term, full-time (1 FTE) role with a commencement date of January/February 2026 for a period of 6 months. You would be part of a team of four Orthopaedic Consultants and four Orthopaedic Registrars based at the Whanganui hospital.

You will provide a high standard of clinical practice and clinical expertise in assessment, investigation, diagnosis and treatment of orthopaedic patients under your care, within the context of serving the population of the Whanganui region. Your role will also include participating in an on-call roster, involvement in clinical governance, and provide teaching and mentorship to junior doctors. We will assist you to stay up to date with advancements in orthopaedic care and bring innovative practices to the department.

You will participate in the roster providing 24-hour cover for surgical services. This will be on a 1:4+ basis (divided equally between the team, in-house cover) with the flexibility required to cover colleagues who are on leave. Our team fosters a supportive and collaborative environment, with an emphasis on continuous professional development, teaching, and multidisciplinary care.

Along with a well-balanced mix of general, acute and elective caseloads, this position provides the chance to have a significant effect in a community-focused and supportive setting.

About the Team/Service/ Location

Whanganui Hospital is located on the West coast of New Zealand's North Island with a wide range of services including emergency medicine, general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, O&G, ENT, ophthalmology, dentistry and psychiatry. We serve a population of approximately 65,000 residents and serves as a central hub for the 16,000 people residing in the surrounding districts across the region.

We provide a six-bed critical care unit with tertiary support from Wellington Hospital. Tertiary services such as cardio-thoracics, neurosurgery, paediatric surgery and cardiology are provided for our patients in Wellington.

On 24 October 2019, Whanganui was crowned the Most Beautiful City at the Beautiful Awards, an annual competition that recognises the environmental excellence of individuals, groups, businesses and schools. Towards the end of 2019, our district council was awarded the "best digital transformation" award. In a first for New Zealand, on 27 January 2020, Whanganui was accepted into the League of Historical Cities - an international affiliation of cities developed to recognise the value that historical urban areas bring to local and international communities.

Your move to Whanganui will allow you to experience a vast range of sights and entertainment in our region. It offers easily accessible mountains for skiing or hiking, lakes for fishing and boating, as well as beaches for surfing and quiet walks. The year-round temperate climate allows you to make the most of this healthy family-focused lifestyle. Whanganui also boasts an exciting arts community and facilities, a mix of local and travelling music talent, educational and sporting opportunities for all ages, historical buildings and culture. Living in Whanganui, you will be two-and-half hours' drive away from our capital city, Wellington or a 1-hour scenic flight to Auckland.

This excellent work / lifestyle balance for you and your family is further supported by a high quality of education at primary and secondary level, offered through both public and private schools.

For more information on living and working in Whanganui click here

About you

To be successful, you must be registered, or eligible for such registration (Vocational Registration) with the Medical Council of New Zealand. Applicants must be eligible to work in New Zealand. If you are an overseas qualified candidate you can check your MCNZ registration eligibility and registration pathway here.

If you are an overseas applicant and have overseas medical qualifications, you will be required to provide EPIC source verification of your qualifications for your registration application. For more information about the registration process and source verification of qualifications, please visit

Other requirements for the role include:

• Vocationally registered (or eligible for registration) with the Medical Council of New Zealand
• Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Surgeons (or equivalent)
• Demonstrated clinical experience in the management of a variety of orthopaedic conditions
• A commitment to teamwork, equity, and continuous learning

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply, please click "apply now." All applications must be submitted through our online careers' portal by 31 January 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Honey Pillai, Senior Recruitment & Operations -SMO via

We will review applictaions as they come through, hence submit your applictaions early.