Training Positions

Position Description

The position is at Senior Registrar level working primarily and closely with our multidisciplinary breast team. The surgeon side of the Breast Team comprises 5 surgeons, (Lou Hayes, Maiko Smith, Janice Chen, and Adam Stewart), all with oncoplastic training including mammoplasty and volume reduction approaches, and reconstruction using expander and implant techniques with dermal sling or ADM or latissimus dorsi flap. TRAM and DIEP flaps are done in conjunction with our plastic surgical colleagues. The unit covers a full range of benign and malignant breast disease, with ample access to more standard breast conservation approaches, and axillary surgery. We deal with up to 250 newly diagnosed women in the public sector. Just over one third of these women undergo mastectomy. Our immediate reconstruction rate is just under 25%.

The post includes working in the Midland Breast Cancer Screening Programme, part of our national programme. We have an excellent team of clinicians including our oncology colleagues and Breastcare Unit staff with weekly multidisciplinary team discussions, regular department meetings and journal club. We have a very active clinical trials unit and the most complete breast cancer register in NZ, with detailed data available on 99% of all cases in the Waikato Region since 1991.

The successful applicant will be well supported and may expect to carry out a research project, with a view to presentation and publication. The post includes participation in the after-hours General Surgical roster and training and educational/training activities on site. Previous fellows over the last 5 years, have found that the large and interesting workload, good collegial relations and good research options have provided an excellent learning opportunity.

Waikato Hospital is a provider of secondary and tertiary services to the wider Midland (central North Island) region. The population base for the Waikato area is approximately 400,000 for secondary services but up to 800,000 for screening and oncology. Hamilton (where Waikato Hospital is based) is situated in the centre of the North Island, about 1 hours’ drive to the surf mecca of the West Coast or to the white sand beaches of the east. Forests and lakes abound closer to hand and Tongariro National Park and the skifields of Mt Ruapehu are 2.5 hours drive to the south. Our previous Fellows have made good use of all of these.

Applications are called from FRACS qualified doctors, who are or will be eligible for registration with the New Zealand Medical Council, and have completed their advanced training in General surgery.