Beginning the long process of Migration.
Feb 22nd 2009, 5:44 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Sunderland, UK
Posts: 32
Beginning the long process of Migration.
Hiya,
We're Patrick and Liz, a pharmacist and primary school teacher respectively, just beginning our road to NZ. We have a 4 month old baby boy, called Alexander (the main reason we weren't off last year!) and now have a fact-finding mission trip booked for October 2009.
Patrick has already passed his skills exam to work as a Pharmacist in NZ, but will need to work for 4 weeks before he can get fully registered.
We have also arranged funding for Patrick to buy his own pharmacy in NZ eventually, though I think he'll aim to work for someone for a few months til he's used to the NZ way of doing things; and until a suitable pharmacy becomes available in an area we'd like to settle.
Although I'm a trained primary school teacher, I am planning on doing either supply work, or part time work until my children are in school.
The main places we're planning on looking at when we're visiting are Tauranga, Rotorua and Napier.
I look forward to sharing our adventures with you, and hopefully being able to pick your brains for useful things to look into and research during our fact-finding trip and any other helpful hints/tips you might have about the immigration process.
Thanks,
Liz and Patrick x
We're Patrick and Liz, a pharmacist and primary school teacher respectively, just beginning our road to NZ. We have a 4 month old baby boy, called Alexander (the main reason we weren't off last year!) and now have a fact-finding mission trip booked for October 2009.
Patrick has already passed his skills exam to work as a Pharmacist in NZ, but will need to work for 4 weeks before he can get fully registered.
We have also arranged funding for Patrick to buy his own pharmacy in NZ eventually, though I think he'll aim to work for someone for a few months til he's used to the NZ way of doing things; and until a suitable pharmacy becomes available in an area we'd like to settle.
Although I'm a trained primary school teacher, I am planning on doing either supply work, or part time work until my children are in school.
The main places we're planning on looking at when we're visiting are Tauranga, Rotorua and Napier.
I look forward to sharing our adventures with you, and hopefully being able to pick your brains for useful things to look into and research during our fact-finding trip and any other helpful hints/tips you might have about the immigration process.
Thanks,
Liz and Patrick x
Feb 22nd 2009, 6:34 pm
#2
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,208
Re: Beginning the long process of Migration.
Hi Liz and Patrick,
Welcome to BE and in particular our little ole NZ forum!
Exciting times, especially with a little one ... have a good search of the previous threads and the Wiki and that may fill in some of your queries. If not, feel free to start a new thread in the main forum asking more specific questions.
Which visa are you hoping to move over on? You may like to have a trawl through the Immigration section regarding info on that!
We are in Papamoa, Tauranga, coming up for 2 years now and absolutely love it. Mind you Rotorua and Napier are both great too ... I just wouldn't move from our beach as it's the best I've seen so far!!!!
Look forward to hearing more about your plans.
Loolah
Welcome to BE and in particular our little ole NZ forum!
Exciting times, especially with a little one ... have a good search of the previous threads and the Wiki and that may fill in some of your queries. If not, feel free to start a new thread in the main forum asking more specific questions.
Which visa are you hoping to move over on? You may like to have a trawl through the Immigration section regarding info on that!
We are in Papamoa, Tauranga, coming up for 2 years now and absolutely love it. Mind you Rotorua and Napier are both great too ... I just wouldn't move from our beach as it's the best I've seen so far!!!!
Look forward to hearing more about your plans.
Loolah
Feb 23rd 2009, 9:42 pm
#3
~^_^~
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Wellington
Posts: 287
Re: Beginning the long process of Migration.
Hi, sorry to jump in on your thread, but I have a few questions about Patrick's job and registration.
I am also a pharmacist and am aiming to take my COAP exam later this year. Has Patrick already got his 4 week placement sorted or is that something you'll be sorting out on your October visit?.....I am quite concerned that I will find this difficult to organise from the UK, and don't really want to do a trip to NZ before we move out there.
Also, how did he find the exam and which reference books did he find use / find the most useful? I haven't purchased mine yet - it is on my list of things to do!
Any info on the pharmacy exam side of things would be much appreciated. Cheers!
I am also a pharmacist and am aiming to take my COAP exam later this year. Has Patrick already got his 4 week placement sorted or is that something you'll be sorting out on your October visit?.....I am quite concerned that I will find this difficult to organise from the UK, and don't really want to do a trip to NZ before we move out there.
Also, how did he find the exam and which reference books did he find use / find the most useful? I haven't purchased mine yet - it is on my list of things to do!
Any info on the pharmacy exam side of things would be much appreciated. Cheers!
Feb 28th 2009, 10:40 pm
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Rotorua
Posts: 410
Re: Beginning the long process of Migration.
Hi Liz & Patrick, welcome to the forum, and to the fun process of migration 
.
I'm based in Rotorua (and I love it here, so admit to being ever so slightly biaised
) and am willing to help you out if I can with any questions etc about Rotorua and the surrounding areas.
.I'm based in Rotorua (and I love it here, so admit to being ever so slightly biaised
) and am willing to help you out if I can with any questions etc about Rotorua and the surrounding areas.
Mar 7th 2009, 6:47 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Sunderland, UK
Posts: 32
Re: Beginning the long process of Migration.
Hi Shelloid,
Patrick has not arranged his 4 week placement yet. He believes that most employers would help with organising it before he takes up his first job. Of course that may mean living on a budget for the first month or so until things get settled. We plan on renting for the first few months until we're completely decided on where we want to live.
Patrick found the exam okay, but he did a lot of preparation for it, and likens it to the pre-reg exam. He bought a book called 'MCQs in Clinicak Pharmacy' by Lilian M Azzopardi; and the Australian Medicines Handbook. He also bought the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary.
He also decided not to use the BNF at all, as the exam is meant to be set entirely on the AMH, but some of the questions on the exam can be ambiguous and obscure.
Hope that helps
Liz and Pat
Patrick has not arranged his 4 week placement yet. He believes that most employers would help with organising it before he takes up his first job. Of course that may mean living on a budget for the first month or so until things get settled. We plan on renting for the first few months until we're completely decided on where we want to live.
Patrick found the exam okay, but he did a lot of preparation for it, and likens it to the pre-reg exam. He bought a book called 'MCQs in Clinicak Pharmacy' by Lilian M Azzopardi; and the Australian Medicines Handbook. He also bought the Australian Pharmaceutical Formulary.
He also decided not to use the BNF at all, as the exam is meant to be set entirely on the AMH, but some of the questions on the exam can be ambiguous and obscure.
Hope that helps
Liz and Pat
Mar 8th 2009, 10:21 am
#6
~^_^~
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Wellington
Posts: 287
Re: Beginning the long process of Migration.
thanks for that info, as I'm sure you understand all information is helpful and good!
That's pretty much what other people had told me about the exam...although they did say it was much tougher than the pre-reg exam. Nice to know that Patrick thought it was ok. Now I just need to get my butt in gear and start studying properly!
Shell x
That's pretty much what other people had told me about the exam...although they did say it was much tougher than the pre-reg exam. Nice to know that Patrick thought it was ok. Now I just need to get my butt in gear and start studying properly!
Shell x
