We are delighted to announce that the NZ Government has approved a new medical school for the University of Waikato. This will be New Zealand's first graduate entry medical school and the first medical school to open its doors in the country in 60 years.

Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Neil Quigley, unveiled the name of our medical school, the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine (NZGSM), reflecting our dedication to collaborating with local communities and offering clinical placements nationwide

Our medical school will take a fundamentally different approach to training doctors in New Zealand, and will complement the two existing medical schools. The NZGSM will take an innovative and community-engaged approach to addressing the chronic workforce shortages in primary care – training the doctors our country needs. The programme will prioritise clinical placements in regional and rural health settings, allowing graduates to experience working with diverse populations while building deep connections in the communities they serve.

As a graduate-entry programme, NZGSM requires applicants to already hold a bachelor’s degree, a format widely used in Australia, Canada, and the USA. This proven model is highly effective at addressing targeted workforce gaps in New Zealand, like those in primary care.

The four-year programme will open in 2028 with an initial cohort of 120 students. The first year of the programme will be based at the University’s Hamilton campus. The clinical placement programme in Years 2-4 will be delivered in hospitals, primary care practices and other health service providers in regional communities nationwide.

We currently do not have any details regarding the admission of international students to the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine. Once this information becomes available, we will promptly share it with our international education partners.

Our website waikato.ac.nz/med-school will also be the home of future announcements and further details, as they are made available to the public and prospective students.