For Gursharan Dhami and Bhenaa Chandar, the road back to medicine has been long, uncertain and deeply personal.
Both trained as doctors overseas, both migrated to New Zealand with hopes of continuing the profession they loved and both found themselves waiting, studying, and working in other roles while holding onto the dream that one day they would practise medicine again.
Now, that dream is back within reach as they begin a new chapter training to become GPs through a nationally launched programme designed to bring overseas-trained doctors into New Zealand’s primary care workforce.
The NZREX GP pathway is a two-year, Government‑funded training programme that is now live nationwide following a successful pilot across Lakes, Waikato and Taranaki. Its aim is simple but critical: to help qualified international doctors gain registration and move into general practice, strengthening primary care services across the country.
In January, a new group of 13 doctors began the programme, joining 33 doctors already training through an earlier intake. Further cohorts are planned throughout the year, with up to 100 doctors expected to take part overall.
Among the latest intake are Dhami and Chandar, who have both started their training at Rotorua Hospital.
Originally from India, Dhami arrived in New Zealand five years ago on a study visa to complete a master’s degree in health informatics in Christchurch. It was there she met her now husband and began building a life far from home. While she wasn’t able to work as a doctor, she found another way to stay connected to healthcare, spending the past two years working as a healthcare assistant in a general practice in Hamilton.
“That gave me a valuable insight into primary care,” she says.
Becoming a doctor, she explains, has been a lifelong ambition.
“My parents’ sacrifices and belief in me made that dream possible, and my husband’s steady support throughout my exams helped me stay strong. Medicine is more than a career to me – it represents service and purpose. Continuing this journey in New Zealand feels incredibly meaningful.”
Chandar’s journey has also spanned countries and systems. She trained in India and Malaysia and spent four years working in Malaysia, including two years as an internal medicine registrar. She moved to New Zealand in 2023, determined to understand how healthcare worked here and what it would take to practise again.
Last year, she completed an observership at Auckland City Hospital, working alongside house officers to gain first‑hand experience of the New Zealand health system. It was during this time that she became drawn to general practice, particularly for the balance it offers alongside the opportunity to build long‑term relationships with patients.
Both doctors have passed the necessary exams to work in New Zealand, including the clinical exam required to enter the NZREX GP pathway.
Their training began with an induction programme at Rotorua Hospital, where they were introduced to inpatient units, systems and day‑to‑day processes. Starting in a smaller hospital environment has helped them ease into the transition, and both say the support they’ve received at Lakes has made a real difference.
“It’s like a family,” says Chandar.
“I really enjoyed the orientation. I like the system, the support we get, and the time we’re able to spend with patients. I feel truly delighted and relieved knowing I’ll be able to practise medicine once I complete this training. It reassures me that all the years of hard work and studying have been worthwhile.”
For her, medicine has always been about service.
“Training in medicine has been a childhood dream of mine. It has always been my passion to serve the community and make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
The NZREX GP pathway has attracted strong interest, with around 180 overseas‑trained doctors expressing interest in the programme. By creating a clear, supported route into general practice, it offers experienced international doctors already living in New Zealand the opportunity to contribute their skills where they are needed most and, for doctors like Dhami and Chandar, it offers something just as important: the chance to finally return to the profession that inspired them in the first place. – Alison King, Health NZ
Gursharan Dhamie, left, and Bhenaa Chandar have started their training at Rotorua Hospital to join the GP workforce.
