New Zealand Registration received today after 4 weeks, any questions?

I know the portfolio is a HUGE task and so I thought I would answer questions people had. I got my reg first time in just 4 weeks...so fire any questions at me! :)

Hi!
Congrats on getting registered...I am almost ready to send off my application. I can't wait to have it gone at this stage!! Just wondering...what documents did you get certified by a solicitor? I'm a new grad...is it just a copy of my qualification certificate do you know?

Thanks a million

Hi there congrats on gaining registration!! I am in the process of putting together my application but I feel so lost I dont know where to start. I am currently on my 7th month post-grad experience I have 5 more months to finish this application n then send it as soon as I hit 12 months! But I just need some guidance on how to do the competencies? Any idea?

Hi timminso

I didn't need my degree certificate signed by a solicitor because uni had already signed it. The physio board really want any 'copies' certified. I had course certificates, the copy of my passport and my decleration all done by a solicitor. Hope that helps.

Hi P_J

The thing to remember about the competencies is that ur course will have covered the points. So just list the modules and cross reference to the module descriptor to cover each point. For the 'evidence' section at the bottom of the compentency, use essays from uni, any in-services you have presented recently, your dissertation, reflections etc and remember you can use ur evidence for more than one competency.

Hope that helps! :)

Hi there!

Thank you so much for making the effort of replying to us!! Im grateful! that is useful Im actually gonna sit down one of my days off from work and just start listing the modules and then start filling in the gaps as much as I can with all my undergraduate work and post-graduate courses!

Also I was woindering how long does the whole process take till you get your annual practising certificate?

What do you think? How long will it take to prepare the whole application? I have actually made a seperate ring binder folder for it!! feels bizzare that my degree certificate is not enough to prove my physiotherapy competency! But what can one do huh

Also wondering what if i decided I didnt want to stay in newzealand would I lose my annual practising certificate? Cos I am actually hoping to travel around and maybe even go Australia for part of my working holiday and see where I want to settle down after?

Please advise me accordingly I would be gratefu


P

Hi, congrats on the reg and good luck to who else is doing it.
I am also just starting the process but have a few questions if you could answer them i would be really grateful.

firstly do you need to have worked prior as a physio prior to getting regristration ie for new graduates.

secondly i have worked for 8 years and recently hit the 30 mark! is it still easy to get a work permit?

lastly i have heard just like the UK there is a lack of jobs? do you know how true this is?

thanks
Gillon

Hi PJ,

Not a problem, im happy to help. The whole process i think varies, just make sure u follow all the guidelines and it goes through quicker. I havent applied for my APC yet but I think its pretty straight forward, its the reg that takes longer. My reg took me a few months to put together. I work full time so I did it when i had a spare min.

You can always get ur APC at a later date, it runs from April to April and costs $250. You can stay registered on the board of physios as a 'non-practising' physio for a small fee. Def worth doing so u dont have to repeat ur whole registration!

Hi Gill,

I know of someone who got registration with no post grad work experience, but she had done the 4 year scotland course (as have I). This course compares well with the NZ course. However, if you have done the 3 year course then they want a years experience first.
As for a work permit, I am going to get a working holiday visa. I am sure this is available up until the age of 30/31, best to check on the NZ immigration site. But you might be able to get a skilled migrant visa, seeing as physio is still on the long term shortage list (which may not last much longer). Check out www.immigration.govt.nz

And lastly, unfortunately there is a lack of jobs out there too. Laws have changed and funding is less available for people to get physio treatment, therefore less people are going. The hardest hit are the private practices I think. I plan on going in Jan, so I started the process early to give me the best chance of a job. If you have experience it may be easier to get work compared to new grads. They will obviously pick NZ residents over overseas folk which makes competition high.

Hope this helps guys! :D

Thats fab Carole-anne, after doing all that hard work it must be so satisfying to get you reg finally!i've just finished mine getting it couriered on friday- i'm petrified theres a fire or something in the house, just would really like it sent away! fingers crossed that it goes through first time. I'm heading to Oz at the end of October so would be a wee bit problematic to fix anything! I'm just a bit confused about what to start doing for reg in Oz following all the changes. I'm hoping to head over to NZ when the job situation pics up a wee bit
Laura:D

hi carol-anne,
thanks for all the info and advice, it really does help just to know that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

at present i am still waiting for uni to get all my info sorted and am starting to sort my compenties and what i may need.

i take it it is some box of evidence you sent over? does all the inservice you have done and course info sheets eg cyriax course manual need to be verified?

well done again and good luck with the job hunt

gillon

Hi laura,

I think Oz reg should be pretty straight forward once you have your NZ reg. Check out AHPRA - Overseas Practitioners. You will likely hear back from the NZ board before you leave at the end of oct. I found it very quick!

Hi Gill,

Yeah it was a big pile of papers i sent but it only cost about £27 to get a tracker post, i was surprised!! I didn't get any of my in-services verified. But I got all my course certificates signed by my solicitor (because they were copies of my original). I didnt send any originals because you wont get them back. I didnt get my course outlines verified either.

Good luck :D

hi guys! i started doing the new zealand reg ages ago and then stopped cos i got a job and deferred going. now the system has changed- do you just need to fill out the 18 competency boxes? in the old system you had to give evidence for each one of 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 etc? i have a lot of my uni and cpd stuff gathered from last year.

thanks a mil,

mairead

Hi Mairead,

Yeah you just fill out the 18 competency templates. It seems a lot easier now compared to the old system. Very easy just to put in your modules and evidence and cross reference it all. :)

Hey, I am almost ready to send my physiotherapy docs off, but I am unsure of what is necesarry for the autonomy part, can anyone help me please?

Thank you!! Any help will be amazing!

Inneke

HI Inneke,

For the autonomy competencies I used my annual appraisals, reflections, a stroke scenario, a shoulder dislocation project I had completed and a coursework from uni.

Hope that helps!

Hi Carol
Congrats on getiing registration . I am from India and i am fresh Graduate .Its a 4 year course with 6 months of internship which is still left . Now i am intrested in applying for a Masters programme in sports but the problem is it requires 1 yr expereince which i dont have . So to apply for special purpose reg i have to wait for a yr . Now i am intrested in applying for general scope registration . Since i am fresh graduate i wont have enough experience except the clinical experience of 6 months which is part of curriculum . So less expereince will that be hurdle for applying for registration . I am very confused where to start with and is It faster if i apply through post graduate or i go for general category .

I am not really sure to be honest! This is what the NZ physio board have to say:

" The Board has received many applications from physiotherapists trained in India. To date very few physiotherapists trained in India have satisfied the Board that they meet the required competencies and been granted registration in New Zealand.
The Board will accept only those applications from physiotherapists who have gained their primary or masters' physiotherapy qualifications in India who can supply:
EITHER
1. Evidence of successful completion of a formal course of university level physiotherapy study in addition to their physiotherapy qualification(s) gained in India. This formal study must be completed during the three years immediately prior to submitting an application for registration in New Zealand. The formal study could include Certificates of Proficiency, a Graduate Certificate, a Graduate Diploma, a Post Graduate Diploma or a Masters. This formal course of study must be completed in New Zealand, Australia, Canada or the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland),
OR
2. Evidence of FULL registration in Canada or the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and physiotherapy practice in Canada or the United Kingdom.
These applications will be assessed on a case by case basis."

Hope that helps you! :)

Thanks !!
So you mean its better to apply to university post graduate course in newzealand, get a temporary registration and than after completing the course apply for general scope of practice . Do you think this way will be easier and there are more chances my application would be accepted after i study from nz ?

Yeah I would think so! Good luck! :)

Hi,

Thanks to everyone who has contributed so far I am also in the process of completing NZ registration, can anyone give me some advise about the reflection on the treatment of Waitangi - what detail they are looking for and also about the structure of the personal statement, like is this a summary of experience to date and why you want to work in NZ, please let me know if I am on the right track!

Many Thanks and good luck to everyone also doing the application

Jean

Hi Jean,

For the treaty of Waitangi reflection I just wrote about what I learned from reading the info they provided and also did a bit of research into 'treating the maori patient'. I reflected on how I already live in a multi-cultural country and therefore come across a wide variety of cultures in my current practice. I think they want to ensure you are aware of the different cultures and that you will adapt to this once working in NZ and that you have a good understanding of what the treaty means.

For the personal statement, do you mean within the CV? If you do then yes, I just talked about my work experience to date, areas of responsibility, how I keep up with CPD etc and why I would like a change to work in NZ.

Hope this helps :)

Thanks for your reply! Very helpful! Need to get cracking now!

Hey, I am a newly qualified physio from the UK and have been adivsed on gaining NZ reg to work in Australia as there is more freedom with it. Is there any advise/support on filling out the competencies (as to what they expect in each section) as I don't really want to be charged $150 for it to be sent back to me each time something is missing or out?

Thank you,

Charlotte

Hi Charlotte,

The NZ physio board won't return your application (and take $150) unless you miss any of the Mandatory documents (e.g. course certificate, passport etc). If you were just needing a little bit more evidence in the competencies they will just send you a letter asking for it (and wont charge you). For the competencies just use all your uni modules/placements, courseworks, dissertation, presentations etc to prove them. Did you do a 3 year course? If so, you will need to work in the UK for a year before applying. If it was 4 years then you will be fine, the 4 year course matches up to the NZ course well, which is what they want.
Hope that helps.

.... and you have to get an Annual Practicing Certificate

.... and you have to sign a statuary declaration that you intend to work in NZ ...


There is no more freedom to work in Australia than NZ, just more available jobs.:o

Regards,
Fyzzio

Hi Carol-Anne,

Thank you for your help it's very much appreciated. I did a 3yr course and have been working as a podiatry technician for the last yr. I also work with ESP Musculoskeletal Physios, but also work weekends on Orthopaedics and occassinally shadow an ESP physio when Im not needed at weekends. Will this classify as 1yrs post-grad experience or are they looking for full-time rotational physio experience? Else does this mean I have to sit an exam once I get there?

Thanks, Charlotte