On The Up: Far North student’s challenging journey to become a neurosurgeon

Northlander Whiti Hoori is well on his way to achieving his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon. Photo / Jenny Ling

Six years of dedicated study and hard work is paying off for young doctor and budding Northland neurosurgeon Whiti Hoori.

Hoori was just 17 when he featured in the Northern Advocate in 2019 after winning a University of Auckland Top Achiever Award on the back of his school results.

The $20,000 scholarship allowed the teenager - from the isolated Far North settlement of Waikare between Russell and Kawakawa – to pursue his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon.

He began his medical journey in 2020 and has since completed his Bachelor of Health Sciences, earned a place in medical school, has undertaken a three-year pre-clinical medical programme at Auckland University’s Grafton campus, and undertaken clinical placements at Middlemore and Auckland City hospitals.

Now 24, Hoori is in his final year as a training intern at Whangārei Hospital.

When he spoke to the Advocate, he was on a GP placement at The Doctors in Kerikeri doing patient consults and urgent care until February 20.

Then he’ll return to Whangārei Hospital to complete the rest of his year.

“I’ve reached the stage where I’m coming to terms with the fact I’ll be a doctor by the end of the year,” he said.

“I’ll have graduated and become a junior doctor.

“I will do two years as a house officer, then will have the option of applying for a training programme in either orthopaedics or neurosurgery.”

Hoori, who attended Pompallier College in Whangārei, plans to choose neurosurgery, which will involve another five years of training as a registrar.

At the end of those five years, he’ll sit fellowship exams and become a fellow specialising in spinal surgery.

Hoori, whose iwi is Ngāpuhi and his hapū Te Kapotai, said he’s always known he wanted to become a neurosurgeon and believes he has all the right attributes, including high levels of discipline and focus.

The specialist job also requires organisational skills, and “being confident taking a degree of responsibility for high-risk situations”, he said.

“I’ve always found the nervous system to be the most interesting.

“It’s complex to understand and there’s a lot of things going on.

“I always knew it was something I wanted to specialise in.”

Hoori had the opportunity to get hands-on with his chosen profession last year, under the supervision of Peter Heppner, an Auckland-based neurosurgeon with sub-specialty fellowship training in spinal surgery.

He got to observe two craniotomy operations, participate with simple sutures, and pass the surgical instruments.

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and social issues.