Applications for a fellowship starting in 2026 are open.

Please read all information below and apply by email to nzaec@anaesthesia.nz

Applications close 11.59pm September 30 2025.

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The BWT Ritchie scholarship is a financial contribution intended to assist a trainee in undertaking an international fellowship or projects that will also benefit anaesthesia in New Zealand, at either a local or national scale. The recipient must return to New Zealand following the fellowship for a minimum of three years.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must:

• Be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident who has completed more than 50% of their training in New Zealand hospitals.

• Have passed the final examination for the Diploma of Fellowship in the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists.

• At the time the scholarship is awarded, have completed all of the requirements of advanced training and be eligible to proceed to Provisional Fellowship training (PFT).

• Intend to return to New Zealand for a minimum of three years to work in anaesthesia following the completion of their fellowship or the period of study that the scholarship may be awarded for.

Criteria:

The fellowship or project must be commenced in the period between the start of PFT and the end of the first year after FANZCA.
Those commencing their fellowship or project in their second year following the award of FANZCA may be eligible to apply if the scholarship would allow the continuation of a fellowship or project. ​

​The scholarship was initially intended to support successful applicants to undertake fellowships overseas. However, the terms of the scholarship have been widened so that proposals for fellowships or other academic endeavours relevant to anaesthesia within New Zealand may be considered if the application is deemed exceptional.

APPLY

Applications can be submitted via email to nzaec@anaesthesia.nz

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Applications for fellowships within the following areas are eligible for consideration: 

• Clinical anaesthesia

• Pain medicine

• Perioperative medicine

• Research

• Higher post-graduate study. 

Paid employment does not exclude application for the scholarship.
 

Applications must include:

• A letter not exceeding two A4 sheets in length, outlining:​ 

  • A plan of your proposed use of the scholarship; 

  • How your fellowship or project will benefit your department and/or anaesthesia in New Zealand, and; 

  • The salary that the institution is offering.

• Curriculum vitae, (presented in a way appropriate to the prestige of the scholarship).

• Contact details of two referees. 

• A nomination letter from your department (detail below).

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Department nomination

Candidates for the scholarship must be nominated and supported by their training department. Nominations from your department as a letter must be included with your applications. The nomination should:

• Set out (briefly) the reasons for the nomination, and;

• Show evidence that the nominee is likely to be an above average contributor to anaesthesia and/or intensive care and/or pain medicine in New Zealand.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

• Paid employment does not exclude application for the scholarship.

• A scholarship will only be awarded if, in the opinion of the committee, there is an application of sufficient merit. 

• The award of the scholarship may deviate from the above criteria in exceptional circumstances if deemed appropriate by the selection committee.

• The scholarship is not for the purposes of undertaking an additional fellowship or project.

The Process

• Nominations and proposals may be submitted before all the details of an overseas experience have been completely organised. 

• However, no award under the scholarship will be made until satisfactory evidence of the acceptance of the applicant and their planned programme by the overseas institution has been received by the ANZAEC, who is the selection committee.

• The successful applicant is expected to return to New Zealand for a period of at least three years to work in anaesthesia and/or intensive care and/or pain medicine after completion of the work for which the scholarship was awarded. 

• The successful applicant will be expected to maintain contact with the Trust through the ANZAEC during the tenure of the award and to report appropriately on their experience after returning to New Zealand.

• While the scholarship is normally awarded for one year, an award for two years would be considered if the value of the proposed training would be enhanced by this extension. It is unlikely that a two-year scholarship would be awarded without prospective advice of this in the initial nomination and application.

• The ANZAEC may require applicants to attend a personal interview before making its decision. Travel expenses incurred in this interview will be the responsibility of the applicant.

• The ANZAEC may, at its discretion, ask for external referee reports on an applicant’s proposal.

• Payment to the scholar will be by arrangement with the Trust and will be paid in two instalments. The initial 50% of the scholarship will be released at the time of the commencement of work, either locally or to an overseas institution. The second 50% will be released on receipt of the six-monthly interim report (halfway point in the fellowship or period of study).
   

Applications close 11.59pm September 30 2025