Pasifika and Māori medical scholarships awarded

Monday 25 November 2024

The annual WellSouth Primary Care General Practice Award has been given to top-achieving Pasifika and Māori final year Medical Students in General Practice last week.

The recipients are Māori student Logan Murray and Pasifika student Christine Peters. Each received a $2,000 dollar scholarship at the Te Kura Whaiora A Ōtepoti University of Otago Dunedin School of Medicine awards dinner.

The WellSouth Primary Care General Practice Award is given to University of Otago Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) Māori and Pasifika final year medical students who are based in Dunedin.

Christine also received the Pasifika leadership award, awarded by the Va’a o Tautai, Centre for Pacific Health. Logan also received the Excellence Award Ko Te Kete Tuatea ‘Knowledge of making a difference’ award by Kohatu Centre for Hauata Maori.

Dr Letava Tafuna’i is WellSouth Senior Clinical Advisor, Pasifika as well as Associate Dean Pacific, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago.

She said WellSouth is grateful to the Department of General Practice and Rural Health, Kohatu Centre for Hauora Maori and Va’a o Tautai, Centre for Pacific Health, at the University of Otago, in their assistance in choosing the awardees.

“The award was established in 2023 to honour students who demonstrated academic excellence in General Practice across both course work and examinations throughout their three clinical years of advanced learning in medicine, and showed commitment to improving equity and health outcomes in marginalised and vulnerable communities,” she said.

“The award was launched last year not only to acknowledge the hard work of the students, but to foster an interest in General Practice as a career path and support their pathway into speciality training.

“WellSouth is proud to support and encourage this growing workforce,” said Dr Tafuna’i.

“They will bring their own cultural perspective and experience to the primary health care sector, helping break down barriers and addressing health inequities within the health system.”

ENDS

WellSouth Award recipients Logan Murray and Christine Peters at the awards ceremony last week. Christine is holding the Va'a o Tautai award. 

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