Early Career Workshop (ECW)
The Early Career Workshop (ECW) will be a professional retreat for newly qualified surgeons across all specialties (a newly qualified surgeon is a surgeon who has successfully completed their surgical training within the last 10 years) across the surgical specialties focused on New Zealand. It will offer a unique opportunity for a group of newly qualified surgeons to share ideas and experiences and debate issues that affect their professional and personal lives.
The ECW will be held on 18 October 2025 at the Rydges Hotel at Wellington Airport. It is intended to acknowledge and encourage the contribution of newly qualified surgeons in our organisations. It also serves to provide an avenue for newly qualified surgeons to have a voice and engage with their and other specialties and the larger health community.
The ECW program provides an opportunity for extensive discussion on “hot NZ topics” and time to relax, get to know other newly qualified surgeons and participate to challenge the body and mind. Above all, the ECW empowers participants to influence the way surgery is developed and delivered in the community, either as individuals or collectively.
You will receive 7 CPD points if attending.
There will be a dinner on the Friday night at the hotel, and then a full 1 day programme.
Please REGISTER below. The course will be run as a cost recovery, and is $550 incl GST or $625 if you are attending the dinner too. This includes morning and afternoon tea, lunch on the Saturday.
Accommodation and flights you’ll need to pay separately. NZAGS has arranged rooms at Rydges should you need to stay a night. The room rate including a full breakfast is $259.
To purchase TICKETS and HOTEL CLICK HERE
PROGRAMME
Friday Night 17th October 2025 – 7pm EWC Dinner at the Rydges Airport Hotel Private Room to greet everyone
8.00am start Morning: Mihi/Karakia
8.15am Applying For, and Obtaining a Consultant Position: Presenter Dr Bevan Jenkins
The early consultant years – navigating highs and lows. Working out the management structure, your role and how to contribute.
- What to look for in contracts etc from hospitals
- How to go about securing a position
- How to negotiate
9.00am HDC – Presenter Dr Samantha King – Medial Protection Agency
- HDC process
- How to speak up
- Managing adverse outcomes
10.00am Morning Tea provided
10.30am Focus on your Health and Wellbeing – Presenter Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Kearny, Chief Mental Health Officer, NZ Defence Force
- Managing Stressful Situations
- Health and well-being Strategies
- Reservist Surgeons (civilian volunteers)
11.15am Developing Private Practice – Presenter Dr Matthew Clark
- Where to start
- Decisions to make
- Overview of NZ private insurance sector
12.00pm Lunch provided
12.45pm NZ Health Environment –Presenter Dr Andrew Connolly
- Workplace Politics – Strengthening Situational Awareness
- Overview of current NZ health environment
1.30pm Responsibilities of Becoming a Consultant – Presenter Dr Sarah Rennie
- CME
- Other Things You Don’t Know
- Managing Relationships
- How to lead. working with juniors, inspiring, mentoring, supporting
- Working with colleagues – dealing disagreements etc
- Cultural Safety
3.00pm Afternoon Tea provided
3.30pm STRATA Overview – Presenter Dr Chris Harmston
3.50pm Building a sustainable career – short, medium, and long term goals – Presenter Dr Vanessa Blair
4.30pm Panel – What do you know now that you would have liked to know earlier!
5.00pm End of the workshop
