Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps
The Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps (RNZAMC) is a corps of the New Zealand Army, the land branch of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). The Medical Corps provides for the medical needs of soldiers, such as diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries. Medical personnel are part of almost all Army exercises and operations.
Medical training for the entire New Zealand Defence Force is conducted at Defence Health School, Burnham Army Camp and all medics enlisted in the Army, Navy or Air Force are sent there for training. Medics first year involves studying for the Diploma in Paramedic Science run in conjunction with AUT University's Faculty of health Sciences. They then carry on and complete a Graduate Diploma of Health Science (Military medic), which equates to and is credited towards 2/3 of a Paramedicine bachelor's degree. This is a total of 2 1/2 years of intensive training (both academic and practical) and includes work experience in military and civilian hospitals, emergency departments and ambulance services. There is a strong focus on Primary Health Care and diagnostics along with advanced emergency skills. After their training, medics are then posted to their respective camps and bases. Most rapidly gain overseas operational experience with the NZDF within a short time and become proficient and experienced across a wide range of pre-hospital environments. Medics can continue onto a range of degree or graduate level qualifications when their workload permits.
The Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps also employs a wide range of other medical specialists from Doctors through to radiographers, environmental health officers and other health professionals.