Unedited words from people who've actually done it.
Recent plastic surgery fellows and locum SMOs at Waikato Hospital, writing in their own words about case mix, on-call, the move from Europe, family transition, and life in the Waikato.
After completing my Plastic Surgery training in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, I moved to New Zealand with my family to undertake a Hand Surgery Fellowship at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton. The fellowship is a one-year program with a strong focus on acute hand surgery, with exposure to the management of fractures, tendon and nerve injuries, infections, amputations, and soft tissue trauma. In addition, there are opportunities to participate in reconstructive procedures alongside the orthopaedic and head & neck surgery teams.
As a fellow, most of my time is spent in the operating theatre, with occasional outpatient clinic responsibilities. I truly enjoy being part of the plastics department, and the role has been very rewarding both professionally and personally. One of the aspects I appreciate most is the balance between autonomy and support; you are given independence, while supervision and guidance are always readily available whenever needed. Once every two weeks, we have a Friday afternoon teaching session and/or journal club.
The working atmosphere within the plastic surgery department is great. The team consists of consultants, two fellows, one or two trainees, and several non-training registrars. In addition, house officers manage the wards and assist with day-to-day inpatient care. Altogether, it creates a very supportive, collaborative, and enjoyable working environment.
Beyond work, I feel incredibly fortunate to spend a year living and working in this beautiful country. Although Hamilton is not located on the coast, it is centrally positioned on the North Island, making it the perfect base for surfing, hiking, cycling, and mountain biking adventures.
I started my fellowship at Waikato Hospital in March and have had an excellent operative experience so far, with 4–5 days of surgery each week. The fellowship provides heavy exposure to hand trauma, skin cancer reconstruction, and microsurgery, alongside a broad range of plastic and reconstructive surgical cases. I have also benefited from close mentorship by experienced consultants from diverse training backgrounds, which has provided valuable insight into different surgical approaches and techniques.
Outside of work, life in New Zealand has been incredibly enjoyable, with plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities and adventure. Hamilton is ideally located near world-class surfing in Raglan and outstanding mountain biking trails in Rotorua, making for a fantastic balance between surgical training and lifestyle.
Waikato Hospital provides exceptional surgical exposure, particularly in high-volume hand trauma. My fellowship focused on microsurgical breast reconstruction, ortho-plastic reconstruction, and acute burns surgery and management. Additionally, comprehensive skin cancer management forms a significant part of clinical practice in New Zealand.
Beyond the clinical experience, Waikato is centrally located with easy access to both the East and West coasts, offering abundant outdoor and family-oriented activities. The work-life balance is outstanding. Finally, this review would be incomplete without acknowledging the excellent mentorship provided by the experienced consultants, alongside the privilege of serving the wonderful patients and people of the Waikato region. Ngā mihi!
Spending a year in Hamilton with the Plastic Surgery team at Waikato Hospital has been an exceptional experience, both professionally and personally for our family. Moving across the world with my wife and three children was a big step, but from the moment we arrived, we were made to feel genuinely welcome and quickly felt at home.
The consultants were highly supportive and fostered a culture of true collegiality, while also providing a great deal of autonomy in daily practice. Clinically, the role offered exposure to the full breadth of plastic surgery. I particularly valued the opportunity to perform a significant amount of microsurgery and hand trauma work, combined with a varied reconstructive practice — including outreach clinics in remote locations.
What truly sets this experience apart is the outstanding work–life balance. We enjoyed more quality time together as a family during the week, while New Zealand's incredible outdoor lifestyle — beaches, hiking, and endless weekend adventures — made every weekend feel like a holiday.
