NZREX Clinical study guide
NZREX Clinical · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
NZREX Clinical is the registration examination pathway that internationally trained doctors pursue when they want to practise medicine in Aotearoa New Zealand, and it is administered by the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ), the body whose stated job is protecting the public by ensuring doctors are competent and fit to practise. The exam is a clinical, performance-based assessment rather than a written knowledge test: candidates rotate through stations across the five core disciplines - Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, and Psychiatry - and are observed taking histories, examining patients, forming differentials, ordering and interpreting investigations, communicating with patients and colleagues, and presenting management plans under time pressure. The NZREX Clinical study guide has 5 sections and about 1,250 words.
01Medicine
The NZREX Clinical medicine station tests whether you can take a focused history, examine safely, and act on red flags in an undifferentiated adult. Examiners watch for structured ABCDE assessment, appropriate vital-sign interpretation, and clear handover using SBAR.
280 words, about 1 min02Surgery
The surgical station tests acute abdominal assessment, trauma priorities, consent, and post-operative complications. You must show safe ABCDE, a structured abdominal examination, and a plausible differential rather than a single diagnosis.
259 words, about 1 min03Obstetrics and Gynaecology
This domain tests obstetric emergencies, antenatal risk, labour progress, postpartum care, and gynaecological bleeding. You are expected to use a woman-centred approach, involve the woman in decisions, and recognise when to call for senior obstetric help.
243 words, about 1 min04Paediatrics
The paediatric station tests assessment of infants and children, communication with caregivers, growth and development, and recognition of serious illness. Examiners expect you to use the paediatric assessment triangle, weight-based prescribing, and the New Zealand immunisation schedule.
219 words, about 1 min05Psychiatry
The psychiatric station tests mental state examination, risk assessment, and safe communication. You must ask directly about suicidal ideation, self-harm, psychosis, and substance use, and formulate risk rather than tick boxes.
249 words, about 1 min