Training Positions

Position Description

The Christchurch Breast and Endocrine Unit provides high quality service to the women in Canterbury. This is a high volume service and also provides tertiary referral services to neighbouring regions such as Timaru and West Coast. In addition to routine case loads of mastectomy, WLE, SLNB and axillary dissection.

We currently have six Breast surgeons, four of whom provide Endocrine surgery (including laparoscopic adrenelectomy). Three of the surgeons currently provide Oncoplastic breast and reconstructive surgery. In mid 2025, we will have a new consultant surgeon joining us after completing three years of overseas fellowship who will bring additional expertise on Oncoplastic Breast and Reconstructive surgery as well as Sarcoma services.

We provide a high standard of care in a busy and high volume service and are ably supported by five Breast Care Nurses. Spread across three different hospitals across the city, we offer the trainee the ability to up skill in various Oncoplastic techniques and also consolidate on the routine breast cases. We have now successfully implemented the use of Savi-SCOUT non-wire localization option for early screen-detected cancers or those who have had good response following neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

There are currently three Oncoplastic trained Surgeons who provide Therapeutic Reduction mammoplasty, benign Breast reduction, volume replacement perforator flaps, Skin and nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate implant based reconstruction, LD flap for immediate and delayed reconstruction. We have a close working relationship with the Plastics and Reconstructive unit who offer DIEP flap reconstruction as autologous procedure for both immediate and delayed procedure.

We have a comprehensive Breast MDM with Radiology, Pathology and Oncology input, recently made twice a week. The Breast MDM has excellent collaborative input from Medical and Radiation Oncologist, Anatomical pathologists with sub-specialty interest in breast and Breast Radiologists.

The unit consultants are supportive of the Fellow taking ownership of their own training over the 12 month period and to some extent identifying specific areas of interest. There are opportunities for the Fellow to participate in Endoscopy if they would like to continue to maintain their skill in this area.

The Fellow should be competent in managing acute general surgical cases. Christchurch has a very busy general surgery department with daily intake of almost 60 patients with two SMO’s on call during the week. There are two dedicated acute theatres during the week and one on the weekends. We would encourage the Fellow to participate in training junior Registrars and SET trainees during their tenure. Some additional teaching commitments would also include 1-2 sessions in the Simulation Centre to teach 4th year medical students. The Fellow will be required to present the Breast Unit Audit and unit activity once a year. They are encouraged to participate in a clinical research with topics of their choice or one supplied by the supervisor of training.

The Fellow will be encouraged to lead the Journal club meetings and to discuss topical academic papers of interest.

Canterbury has recently been voted as the most desirable city to live within New Zealand. There is excellent access to the seashore and equally to the ski fields in winter. The city is now a vibrant area which boasts an eclectic range of international cuisines. The international airport also offers easy access to not only Australia but almost any destination in the world.