Background
It has been estimated that given the expected population growth and increasing disease demands in an ageing population, New Zealand would need 83.3 practicing plastic surgeons
by 2027 (1). More alarmingly, this figure was based on a population of 5 million people, a number which was surpassed in 2020. Contributing to this issue is the fact that of the 34
New Zealand-trained plastic surgical fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) since 2015, only 62.5% are currently working in New Zealand. Due to the increasing
demand for plastic surgeons in New Zealand, it is of the utmost importance to identify the causes of the brain drain of New Zealand-trained plastic surgeons and how to keep them in
New Zealand.
Method
A survey was distributed to the current RACS trainees in plastic surgery throughout New Zealand, reviewing their career plans post training. The aim was to identify barriers to
working in New Zealand post training.
Results
Of the 22 current trainees, 94.5% (21 of 22) completed the survey. 76.2% of trainees were intending on working in NZ post training, with 23.8% being unsure. Barriers to working in NZ
included remuneration and lack of transparency regarding consultant positions available post training. Only 52.4% of trainees have been approached by a plastic surgery department
regarding a position post training, yet 95.2% said that they would be open to having a discussion regarding this. 47.6% of trainees said they would be open to working in a rural
centre, with the main barrier being the isolation and lack of collegial support.
Discussion
The survey was successful in identifying some of the key barriers for current plastic surgery trainees regarding working as a surgeon in New Zealand post training. By identifying these
barriers, we can aim to address these in order to improve access to plastic surgery in New Zealand.