Pacific Surgeon NZAGS Conference Fund

The New Zealand Association of General Surgeons is a membership-based organisation of general surgeons throughout New Zealand. The principal functions of the Association are to represent the broad and collective interests of general surgeons particularly in the areas of vocational training, continuing professional development, workforce planning as well as acting as the interface between general surgeons, Government and components of the health sector generally. The membership is very strong, and the majority of general surgeons working in New Zealand (and some overseas) are members. Trainees automatically become members during their time on the vocational training programme – GSET or SET – administered by NZAGS in New Zealand, on behalf of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

NZAGS organises a conference, the Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM), which rotates across provincial and metropolitan centres around New Zealand. The ASM is generally held at the end of March.

NZAGS is very keen to provide financial support to Pasifika General Surgeons to enable attendance at the ASM for eligible registrars or Fellows.

NZAGS will be pleased to receive applications from interested registrars or Fellows who meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Applications for the fund are open to General Surgery registrars and Fellows to travel to New Zealand to attend the NZAGS Annual Scientific Meeting.
• Applicants must be normally domiciled in the Pacific Islands. For the purposes of this fund, the Pacific Islands are defined as: Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, Federated States of Micronesia, Tokelau, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands and Niue.
• Applicants from the dependency islands of the United States, Australia, France or the UK are not eligible, including American Samoa, New Caledonia, and Norfolk Island.
• Applicants must be able to provide evidence that they are normally domiciled in the eligible Pacific Islands.
• Pasifika who permanently work outside the islands will not be eligible.
• Registrars on training schemes outside the islands may be eligible for consideration.

1. Application

Please use the 2025 Pasifika Fund Application Form
Pasifika-Fund-application-form-ASM-2025

Applications must be emailed to ray@nzags.co.nz and all applications will be acknowledged by 31 December 2024 (this may be extended)

2. Selection process

The fund recipient will be chosen based on their written application, appropriate supporting documentation and contact details for three referees. Applicants will be expected to state how attending the NZAGS conference will benefit their practice and community.

This may be followed by a ZOOM/telephone interview in the event of multiple eligible applicants.

Applications will be considered by a subcommittee of the NZAGS Executive.

3. Value of fund

The fund will cover the following for the successful applicant only (i.e. not for any other accompanying family, colleagues or friends):

• Return economy airfares from their Pacific Island to New Zealand, including any internal flights required.
• Transfers to and from airport and conference hotel.
• Accommodation in nominated conference hotel, to a maximum of one day before ASM commences until the morning following ASM closure. Reasonable expenses from the hotel would include Wi-Fi, but not minibar or movie purchase.
• Additional accommodation for the purposes of hospital and/or educational facility visits will be considered by NZAGS on a case-by-case basis.
• Any meals not provided as part of the conference including dinner before the ASM commences, and breakfast on the day of departure.
• Attendance at pre-conference drinks and the conference awards dinner on the Saturday night. Attendance at the Trainee Dinner on the Friday night would be included for a registrar applicant.

4. Conditions for reapplication

 Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent years.

• Previously successful applicants may reapply after five years.

5. Conditions of accepting the fund

 The successful applicant will be contacted by NZAGS as soon as practicable.

• Applicants are expected to redeem their fund for the ASM immediately subsequent to their successful application. If this is not possible, the fund may be deferred until the following year. This is entirely at the discretion of NZAGS.
• All travel and accommodation will be booked by NZAGS, on behalf of the applicant, rather than paid as a grant to the applicant.
• The successful applicant is expected (and funded) to attend both days of the ASM, the Trainee Day, and the conference dinner.
• NZAGS will endeavour to facilitate visits to a suitable hospital and/or educational facilities of interest to the successful applicant.
• Successful applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a paper or poster for consideration for presentation.
• NZAGS retains the right to acknowledge the gifting of the fund by public announcement and in its newsletters and conference advertising materials.
• It is expected that the successful applicant will make themselves available during the conference for promotional purposes.
• The successful applicant will be required to sign an acceptance form to acknowledgement agreement with the above conditions which must be provided prior to any bookings being made on behalf of said applicant.