ACE – First Year House Officers

1. All DHBs have agreed to implement the ACE scheme and to work within the ACE process. DHBs will not pre-match applicants to first year House Officer positions.
2. All applicants seeking first year House Officer positions must apply through the ACE scheme.
3. Preference rankings from participating applicants and the DHBs are private and confidential.
4. Neither party in the recruitment process should make independent contracts prior to the notification of the match results.
5. Having been matched to a DHB, there is an expectation that the applicants will accept a position with that DHB. Similarly, DHBs may not appoint House Officers matched to some other DHB without the express consent of that DHB and ACE.

Applicants and DHBs are asked to report to ACE should there be any instances of breaches of the above principles.

The match will require all eligible applicants to rank their most preferred District Health Boards. It is recommended that all applicants rank a minimum of 4 and no more than 10 District Health Boards. The District Health Boards will then be asked to select the applicants whom have ranked them in the following order until ALL applicants have been reviewed:

Who is eligible to participate in the ACE programme?

1. Graduates from New Zealand medical schools and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
2. Graduates from Australian medical schools and are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
3. Graduates from New Zealand medical schools and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.
4. Graduates from Australian medical schools and are not permanent residents of New Zealand/Australia.

Applicants will be excluded from being matched to a DHB if they:

1. Fail to submit a complete application by 5.00pm 28 June 2013.
2. Indicate in their completed application that they are unable to start work on 25 November 2013.
3. Do not meet the eligibility criteria as set out above.

This moment is huge - you are about to graduate from medical school and take on your first job. The only thing left to do is apply to the ACE recruitment scheme. The ACE recruitment scheme is highly structured and might seem a bit overwhelming. To make it easier we've created a flow diagram to help you.

References

Example:

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"The trainee intern year has a strong focus on apprenticeship learning, and taking progressively increasing responsibility for clinical care under supervision. During this year, there are opportunities for elective study in an area of self selected interest for three months, usually in a new location, often overseas.

The trainee intern year is an important preparatory year for the first postgraduate (intern/ first year house surgeon) year leading to general registration as a medical practitioner by the Medical Council of New Zealand.

Students are assessed by supervising clinicians throughout the trainee intern year in each of 6 major areas of medicine, as well as on overall professional abilities and skills.

Successful students graduate in medicine (MB ChB) at the end of the sixth year, and become eligible for employment in approved hospitals as interns." - Faculty of Medicine - Otago University.

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The policy set by the District Health Boards is that each applicant is required to identify, discuss and agree with 3 of their supervising clinicians from their 6th year TI experience, to act as referees.

We will allow a few exceptions to this if you are a Trainee intern going on an overseas elective during the first ½ year:

• One of these 3 references may be from your 5th year.
• OR
• One reference from your elective provided it is from a hospital that is included the MCNZ list of comparable health system countries.

In addition you will still need 2 references from your supervising clinicians from your 6th year.

If you have any difficulties (for example you were doing research during your 5th year and will be on elective in the first ½ of the 6th year) you should contact the ACE centre to discuss your options.

In 2012 there were 373 first year house officer positions nationwide. The total number of positions per District Health Board is known to change so the latest update on the positions available will be posted on this site when released by DHBs in May/June 2012 for the 2013 training year.

DHB	Vacancies
Northland DHB	10
Waitemata DHB	51
Auckland DHB	48
Counties Manukau DHB	41
Waikato DHB	22
Bay of Plenty DHB - Tauranga	16
Bay of Plently DHB - Whakatane	4
Lakes DHB	10
Tairawhiti DHB	8
Taranaki DHB	10
Whanganui DHB	4
Mid Central DHB	14
Hawkes Bay DHB	17
Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHBs	40
Nelson Marlborough DHB - Nelson	10
Nelson Marlborough DHB - Wairau	6
Canterbury DHB	34
South Canterbury DHB	6
Otago DHB	18
Southern DHB	6

Dates are the most important things to remember! Get in early before it's too late by getting familiar with the important dates for ACE in 2013.

Month	Activities
February/March	Check your eligibility and create your ACE application account at www.acenz.net.nz References - before looking for 5th year references - read and understand the policies Trainee Interns going on first quarter overseas elective should start the appropriate reference processes Complete the online ACE application form on www.acenz.net.nz Personal details Your name(s) should be identical to the name(s) detailed in your residency documents. If they are different, you must submit relevant documentation detailing the name change. i.e. marriage certificate Make sure your email address is correct and up to date as this is the email address ACE and DHB will utilise to get in touch with you Please detail your emergency contact for when you are on your overseas electives If you are unable to start work from the first quarter, please detail this in the application form Residency Health status Criminal conviction declaration Consent DHB preference Privacy declaration Start discussions to identify your appropriate referee for this period and note the contact details required by ACE. Apply for an official academic transcript with your medical school or for NZ qualified applicants make sure the school has your consent to release your academic transcript to ACE (Auckland and Otago)
April	Attend the NZMA sponsored ACE information evenings and DHB roadshow Auckland - 15th April Wellington - 16th April Christchurch - 17th April Dunedin - 18th April
May	Residency documents and personal details to be completed by May 31st Complete additional referee details which will be automatically e-mailed by ACE and completed on-line by the referee.
June	Final Referee details completed and input to ACE by June 14th Complete and attach your curriculum vitae to your ACE application Complete and attach your cover letter(s) to your ACE application Complete and/or amend DHB preference ranking in your ACE application form Check your ACE application is complete before 5 pm NZT 28 June 2013 If you are applying as a pair or shared application double-check that your DHB preferences match before submitting
July	ACE will send your application to the DHBs on 5 July 2013 DHBs will review and rank their preferred applicants by 26 July 2013
August	ACE match will take place on 1 August 2013 Formal offer of employment letter will be sent to successful applicants on 5 August 2013, usually by PDF in an email Acceptances by 12 August 2013 If you are unable to start work from the start date mentioned in your offer letter, notify the DHB immediately
September	Applicants who have accepted an offer employment with the New Zealand DHBs should complete an application for registration with Medical Council of New Zealand Non-resident applicants that have accepted an offer of employment with the New Zealand DHBs should apply for work permit with Immigration New Zealand
October	Complete pre-employment documentation as required by your prospective employer (i.e. DHB you have accepted a position with) Organise relocation if required
November	Attend orientation and start work!

There are a few dates in 2013 that you must not forget!

DHB ACE Roadshow and NZMSA trainee Intern information evening:

• Auckland - 15th April
• Wellington - 16th April
• Christchurch - 17th April
• Dunedin - 18th April

Applications:

• OPEN: 11th February
• CLOSE: Friday 28 June, 5pm

Job Offers:

• SENT: Monday 5 August

Offer Acceptances:

• REQUIRED BY: Monday 12 August

We know this is your first time applying for your first job but thankfully we have been here before and know what you are thinking! We have prepared a few FAQ's which may give the answer you are looking for.

Got a question? Email us today for a direct reply.

1. What is ACE?

ACE stands for Advanced Choice of Employment and it is a collaborative recruitment scheme that assists applicants seeking for first year House Officer positions within the New Zealand health system.

2. How do I apply to ACE?

Visit www.acenz.net.nz and register for an account. You will have the opportunity to log in and amend details of your ACE application until the closing date.

3. What documents do I need to submit to take part in the ACE match?

• Online ACE application form
• Curriculum vitae
• Three completed ACE referee report forms - Completed online by your referees
• Certified copy or original copy of your most recent academic transcript (NZ Universities will be sending these straight to ACE)
• Certified copy of your residency documents - photo page of New Zealand passport, photo page of an overseas passport accompanied by the relevant visa page or New Zealand drivers licence accompanied by birth certificate or citizenship certificate. DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS. You can upload these yourself into your application via the documents section.
• Cover letter(s) (Optional)

4. Who can certify my documents?

• Justice of the Peace
• Court Registrars
• Lawyers

You are also welcome to bring in the original documents to the ACE office to have the documents validated for the ACE process but ACE cannot legally certify documents.

5. Who can complete my ACE reference forms?

ACE reference forms can be completed by a Consultant, GP/Consultant Specialist. ACE only accepts references where the referee has first-hand observation of your skills in a clinical setting. Please note we will only accept one from your fifth year and only if you are going on an overseas elective in the first half of the year. You may also use a reference from your overseas elective providing it is on the MCNZ list of comparable health system countries.

6. How many ACE references can I submit onto my ACE application?

You must submit three references. If you are unable to obtain 3 referees you should contact the ACE coordinator to discuss. Please note that the reference policy is set by the District Health Boards and the ACE coordinator has no authority to alter this policy and agree to accept references other than those set out in the policy described in the Application Guide.

7. How are references collected by ACE

The references will be completed by your referees on-line electronically. Once you have agreed with them to be your referee, you enter their e-mail address into your application form and ACE will contact the referee and request the reference to be completed. Please see the Applicant Guide for more details. Once the reference is received, you will be unable to change the referee. You will be unable to view the reference once it has been received by ACE.

8. Am I able to defer my start date?

The ACE match process applies only to applicants able to start on 25 November 2013. If you are unable to start on time you will need to apply directly to the DHB after 12 August 2013.

9. What are the selection criteria that the DHBs use to rank the applicants?

ACE encourages the applicants to get in touch with the DHBs directly to find out about their selection criteria. ACE provides the DHBs with basic information on each applicant that includes University grades/distinctions/awards, additional qualifications, publications/presentations and your three references.

10. What happens if I am matched to a hospital I don't want to work at?

You can only be matched to one of the DHBs you have ranked and as per the ACE principles, there is an expectation that you will accept the offer of employment at the hospital you are matched to. To minimise chances of this happening, please don't rank hospitals you are not willing to accept a position with.

11. I've been matched to a DHB, what are the next steps?

If you have been successfully matched to a DHB through the ACE scheme, you will be sent an offer of employment letter by that DHB. After you have accepted the job offer, within seven days, the DHBs will liaise with you directly to organise further pre-employment documents.

12. I have not been matched to a DHB after the single match. What should I do?

ACE will continue to communicate with all the DHBs to identify additional first year House Officer Positions. ACE will send the DHBs a list of all the unsuccessful applicants and the DHBs will be in touch directly.

13. What are the important dates for the ACE scheme in 2013?

Please refer to the Important Dates page.

To keep things simple we have put together a few documents ready for you to print which you will need to apply to the ACE scheme:

• Download ACE Presentation
• Download ACE applicant guide
• Download a template to help you in writing your CV for your ACE application

Click on the links below to visit the sites:

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• April 2013 Newsletter (PDF)
• February 2013 Newsletter (PDF)
• June 2012 Newsletter (PDF)
• April 2012 Newsletter (PDF)
• February 2012 Newsletter (PDF)

You can contact ACE at ace@kiwihealthjobs.com or on 0800 223 236.

If you would like to know more information on what it would be like to work at a specific District Health Board, please contact the RMO coordinator responsible. Please refer to details listed below and the map on the right for DHB locations.

RMO Unit Contact Details:

North Island
Northland DHB Whangarei Hospital Tania Vaile PO Box 9742, Whangarei Ph: +64 9 430 4101 ext 3338 Fax: +64 9 430 4123 Email: tania.vaile@northlanddhb.org.nz Website: www.northlanddhb.org.nz	Waikato DHB Hamilton Waikato Hospital Paul Miller Pembroke Street, Hamilton Ph: +64 7 858 0946 ext Fax: +64 7 585 0941 Email: paul.miller@waikatodhb.health.nz Website: www.waikatodhb.govt.nz
Auckland Northern Regional Training Hub Auckland, Middlemore, North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals Private Bag 92189, Greenlane Ph: +64 9 631 0707 Fax: +64 9 623 4644 Email: Website: www.aucklanddoctors.co.nz	Bay of Plenty DHB Tauranga Hospital Jan Simeon Private Bag 12024, Tauranga Ph: +64 7 579 8542 Fax: +64 7 579 4523 Email: jan.simeon@bopdhb.govt.nz Website: www.bopdhb.govt.nz
Lakes DHB Rotorua Hospital Michelle Easton Private Bag 3023, Rotorua Ph: +64 7 343 8711 Fax: +64 7 349 7663 Email: Michelle.Easton@lakesdhb.govt.nz Website: www.lakesdhb.govt.nz	Bay of Plenty DHB Whakatane Hospital Joy Sunich PO Box 241, Whakatane Ph: +64 7 306 0749 Fax: +64 7 306 0973 Email: joy.sunich@bopdhb.govt.nz Website: www.bopdhb.govt.nz
Taranaki DHB Taranaki Base Hospital (New Plymouth) Karlina Nickson Private Bag 2016, New Plymouth Ph: +64 6 753 6139 ext 8704 Fax: +64 6 753 7860 Email: karlina.nickson@tdhb.org.nz Website: www.tdhb.org.nz	Tairawhiti DHB Gisborne Hospital Natalie Atkinson Private Bag 7001, Gisborne Ph: +64 6 869 0500 ext 8026 Fax: +64 6 869 0585 Email: Natalie.Atkinson@tdh.org.nz Website: www.tdh.org.nz
Hawkes Bay DHB Hastings Hospital Barbara Rowe Private Bag 9014, Hastings Ph: +64 6 878 8109 ext 5884 Fax: +64 6 878 1301 Email: barbara.rowe@hawkesbaydhb.govt.nz Website: www.tdh.org.nz	Whanganui DHB Wanganui Hospital Karen McCormick Private Bag 3003, Whanganui Ph: +64 6 348 3436 Fax: +64 6 348 1316 Email: karen.mccormick@wdhb.org.nz Website: www.wdhb.org.nz
MidCentral DHB Palmerston North Hospital Moira Eathorne Private Bag 11 036, Palmerston North Ph: +64 6 350 8849 Fax: +64 6 350 8627 Email: rmo.vacancies@midcentraldhb.govt.nz Website: www.midcentraldhb.govt.nz	Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHB Wellington, Hutt and Masterton Hospitals Russell Holder Private Bag 7902, Wellington Ph: +64 4 806 2532 ext 82532 Fax: +64 4 385 5965 Email: RMO_Recruitment@ccdhb.org.nz Website: www.capitalhealthcareers.org.nz

South Island
Nelson Marlborough DHB Nelson Hospital Loretta Matheson Private Bag 18, Nelson Ph: +64 3 546 1875 Fax: +64 3 546 1811 Email: loretta.matheson@nmdhb.govt.nz Website: www.nmdhb.govt.nz	Nelson Marlborough DHB Wairau Hospital Jo Des Forges PO Box 46, Blenheim Ph: +64 3 520 6395 Email: jo.desforges@nmdhb.govt.nz Website: www.nmdhb.govt.nz
Canterbury DHB Christchurch Hospital Deirdre Sharvin Private Bag 4710, Christchurch Ph: +64 3 378 6051 Fax: +64 3 364 0897 Email: deirdre.sharvin@cdhb.health.nz Website: www.cdhb.govt.nz	South Canterbury DHB Timaru Hospital Maree Mackenzie Private Bag 911, Timaru Ph: +64 3 687 2389 Fax: +64 3 687 2369 Email: mmackenzie@scdhb.health.nz Website: www.scdhb.co.nz
Southern DHB Dunedin and Wakari Hospital Nina Giles Private Bag 1921, Dunedin Ph: +64 3 474 0999 ext 8405 Fax: +64 3 474 7715 Email: nina.giles@southerndhb.govt.nz Website: www.southerndhb.govt.nz	Southern DHB Invercargill Hospital Alison Muir PO Box 828, Invercargill Ph: +64 3 214 8256 Fax: +64 3 214 7242 Email: alison.muir@southerndhb.govt.nz Website: www.southerndhb.govt.nz