Before migrating to New Zealand, Dr Gursharan Dhami and Dr Bhenaa Chandar trained as doctors in their home countries. Neither has been able to work here in their qualified professions. Now, the pair are training to become GPs at Rotorua Hospital thanks to a new government-funded programme.

A GP training programme at Rotorua Hospital is helping two overseas-trained doctors realise their childhood dreams of working in medicine.

Dr Gursharan Dhami, from India, and Dr Bhenaa Chandar, from Malaysia, have started a two-year primary care training programme designed to boost the GP workforce.

Health Minister Simeon Brown announced the programme in March last year for up to 100 overseas-trained doctors.

“It makes no sense that overseas-trained doctors living in New Zealand are willing to work in primary care, but can’t, because there aren’t enough training opportunities,” Brown said at the time.

“We are fixing this by building on a successful pilot in the Waikato and will support their transition into general practices that need them most.”

One hundred and eighty overseas-trained doctors expressed interest in the programme, a Health NZ statement said.

The programme helped qualified international doctors gain registration, with a strong focus on those wanting to enter general practice roles, it said.

The programme went live nationwide after a successful pilot in the Lakes, Waikato, and Taranaki regions.

In response to Rotorua Daily Post questions provided via Health NZ, Dhami said growing up, she always admired doctors because they were able to help people at their most vulnerable.

Dhami said healthcare in India was “fast-paced” with private hospitals offering “quick access to specialists and advanced technology”, while public facilities were often crowded.

She moved to Christchurch to pursue a master’s degree in health informatics shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic.

She was drawn to the professional growth opportunities, quality of life, and work-life balance.

Dhami decided to settle after meeting her now-husband.

For the past two years, she was working as a healthcare assistant at a Hamilton general practice.

For internationally trained doctors, the pathway to practising in New Zealand could be “quite challenging” with registration requirements, supervised practice, and adapting to a new healthcare system, she said.

“It can take time to understand the local clinical guidelines and gain experience within the system, so programmes like this are incredibly valuable in helping bridge that gap.”

She moved to Rotorua for the programme to gain supervised clinical experience.

Dhami said she would consider staying in Rotorua after the programme if opportunities were available.

“I’m also open to working in other areas of New Zealand where doctors are needed, especially in rural communities that may have limited access to healthcare.”

Building a life in Rotorua

Chandar trained in India and Malaysia and worked in Malaysia for four years, including two as an internal medicine registrar.

She moved to New Zealand in 2023 after marrying her partner, Abhishek, who was raised here.

Last year, she did an observership at Auckland City Hospital with house officers to gain a better understanding of the New Zealand health systems.

She said the GP programme helped her reconnect with her childhood dream of becoming a doctor and serving her community.

“It gives me a structured pathway to rebuild my confidence, update my clinical knowledge, and understand how healthcare works in New Zealand.

“For someone trained overseas, that support makes a huge difference.”

Chandar said she planned to stay in Rotorua after completing her training, where she and Abhishek were building their lives together.

In her early days in New Zealand, she recalled someone telling her to visit Rotorua to understand Māori culture.

“At the time, I took it as friendly advice, but looking back, it feels almost symbolic.

“In my own faith, I believe God guides us in subtle ways, and sometimes I feel He placed me exactly where I needed to be — in a city rich in Māori culture, community, and connection.

“Living here has allowed me to learn, grow, and understand the cultural heart of Aotearoa in a way I truly value.”

Rotorua Area Primary Health Services (RAPHS) chair and GP Dr Genevieve Matthews said the programme was an “exciting project” with the potential to positively contribute to future GP numbers in Rotorua and nationally.

“From RAPHS perspective, it is part of a wider strategy to seek opportunities to expand the medical primary care workforce in Rotorua, including work with the University of Waikato Medical School set to open in 2028.”

She said RAPHS was confirming placements in the next three months for the programme’s doctors’ GP rotations in local member practices.

Matthews said the GP workforce shortage in Rotorua was “significant and concerning” and practices were planning as best they could to cope with increased demand ahead of winter.

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and the Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.