Dr Karleigh O’Conner humbled by NZ Junior Doctor of the Year award

Whakatane Hospital House Officer Dr Karleigh O'Connor has been named Te Taura Taiea Aotearoa NZ Junior Doctor of the Year.

A former Koputaroa Primary School and Waiopehu College student has been named Te Tāura Taiea Aotearoa NZ Junior Doctor of the Year.

Whakatāne Hospital house officer Dr Karleigh O’Connor (Ngati Raukawa, Ngā Rauru, Ngati Ruanui) received the Confederation of Postgraduate Medical Education Council (CPMEC) award recently after being nominated by colleagues.

“I’m incredibly honoured to have been named Junior Doctor of the Year. To be nominated by my colleagues, whom I have much respect for, was truly humbling,” she said.

The nomination was supported by staff at the Medical Council, where she has worked as an intern member of the Education Committee.

“In their nomination, one of my consultants wrote about the grace I bring in my role as a Maori junior doctor, working alongside a team of almost exclusively foreign-born consultants to serve our majority Maori patient population. That recognition was really touching and reaffirmed for me why I am doing this mahi.”

O’Connor, who was born and raised in Levin, was initially surprised by the award.

“At first I felt a little whakamā about it all, but seeing what it means to my community and whanau back home I’ve come to realise that winning this award isn’t just about me; it’s about the opportunity to inspire others.”

It was a school visit to Massey University as a 14-year-old that planted the seed to set her sights on gaining the necessary qualifications to follow a path in medicine. She credits “unwavering” support from school teachers, mentors and whanau as giving her the confidence to set such goals.

“Even when I couldn’t see, it they would push me and tell me I could do these things and that’s why I’m happy to talk about it because if someone else can be inspired in the same way then I’m happy to be an example,” she said.

While at secondary school and working part-time at a supermarket and at Subway, she was selected at the suggestion of school teachers to join a Horowhenua District Council-led youth mentoring group.

Former deputy mayor Barry Judd was involved with the programme at the time and suggested she should apply for scholarships that might assist with mentoring and financial support to help her achieve her goals.

Judd remembers O’Connor well.

“To see what she has been able to achieve is incredible and a credit to her,” he said.

“Is it mentoring? I think it’s about supporting and encouraging them to be the best they can be and it shows just what students from local colleges are capable of.”

O’Connor admitted the thought of attending Ōtago University was initially daunting. There were only two other students from her year at Waiopehu College to also enrol there that year.

A talented musician, she was able to supplement her study allowance by performing gigs at pubs and weddings. After five years of study, she graduated as a doctor and has now completed the subsequent two years of post-qualification practice, while also doing further university papers related to health system management.

The key had always been to take each day and each challenge one at a time.

“I tend not to look too far ahead and just concentrate on what is in front of me,” she said.

Whakatane Hospital House Officer Dr Karleigh O'Connor has been named Te Taura Taiea Aotearoa NZ Junior Doctor of the Year.

O’Connor moved from Wellington to Whakatāne just over two years ago, specifically to work with the large Māori population of the Eastern Bay of Plenty. She is the third wahine Māori to win the NZ Junior Doctor of the Year title in the past three years.

“I’m proud to be a Māori doctor and to have gained my place in medicine through the Māori entry pathway. It saddens me when I hear debate about whether such pathways should exist, so hopefully being the third wahine Māori to win this award consecutively will help people to recognise the value we bring to the healthcare system,” she said.

In awarding the title, CPMEC noted Dr O’Connor’s contributions to clinical care for Eastern Bay populations, support for her healthcare colleagues, involvement in service development and improvement, and her national contribution to improving prevocational medical training.

Her demonstration of the key values of kaitiakitanga (protecting the public) and whakamārama (leading by listening), by ensuring that interns’ voices are heard and training providers provide safe, supportive and respectful environments for interns, were also highlighted.

Chief medical officer Kate Grimwade said she was thrilled by the news.

“It is fantastic to see Karleigh’s contributions to her patients and colleagues recognised in this way. We are very proud to have her as part of her team, and I would just like to offer my heartfelt congratulations on such a well-deserved award,” she said.

O’Connor liked to look on her daily work as a privilege.

“It’s hugely rewarding. It’s pretty full-on at times, especially in the emergency room, where I am for the most part. But it is the most rewarding work I can think of. It’s a huge privilege to help people in what can be the most stressful moments of their lives. People trust in you.

“Your training and study kicks in, but a lot of it is just being human,” she said.

O’Connor plans to take time out to travel and work abroad for the remainder of this year, after which she plans to return and start specialist training in emergency medicine.