“The opportunity the Health Summership Programme provided for the medical students is invaluable to their personal learning and to building local Maori workforce capacity.” - Director Maori Health Rowena Kui

Andrew Ashworth (5th year Medical Student) & Katie Scorringe (4th year Medical Student)

Two placements are open to rangatahi studying towards a career in health who whakapapa to Iwi in the Whanganui health district. As part of our wider Māori workforce strategy to build Māori capacity in the health sector, the programme is run in partnership with the Whanganui Regional Health Network (local PHO) and Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority.

The summership’s were created to give Maori medical rangatahi the opportunities to further their medical knowledge and experience in a hospital and community setting.

It's hugely valuable to the Maori health rangatahi who gain placements. What they learn during the programme broadens their knowledge and gives them a better understanding of their people’s illnesses, within their community.

Rangatahi who earn a placement gain exposure to a range of health services and clinical settings including Whanganui Hospital services, flight transfer team and St Johns ambulance services, Whanganui Regional Health Network and general practice.

Individual programmes can be tailored to include areas of health that students have a particular interest in and that support their study into the future.