Second-year medical student at the University of Auckland Brooklyn Wilson with Bream Bay College students Lila McEvoy (left) and Abby Thompson.
Second-year medical student at the University of Auckland Brooklyn Wilson with Bream Bay College students Lila McEvoy (left) and Abby Thompson.
The ageing rural health sector struggling with chronic shortages may see an increase in students stepping up thanks to recent inspiration from those already on the journey.
The Rural Health Careers Promotion Programme, run through Hauora Taiwhenua (Rural Health Network) has seen 14 tertiary students travel across Northland over the past two weeks to encourage high school students from Years 9-13 to pursue careers in rural health.
Second-year medical student at the University of Auckland Brooklyn Wilson was born in Dargaville and spent her younger years in the Ruawai and Dargaville area before moving to Mangawhai and attending Rodney College.
She said it’s been “very special” to go back to her roots, and encourage others to follow in her footsteps. She plans to return to work rurally upon completing her studies.
Wilson said when she first went into medicine it “wasn’t very humanised”, but the programme breaks down barriers and shows rural students that there are opportunities.
She said being from Northland has brought about an extra element of familiarity to students, to say “hey, look we’re from here and look what we’ve done”.
Wilson said part of it is showing Māori and Pacifica students they are “hot property” and “so wanted” in the medical field.
Tertiary students from a range of disciplines meet with students at Tauraroa Area School.
Workshops offered hands-on experience with dental, optometry and other medical equipment and gave students the opportunity to speak with those already on their training journey.
Wilson said senior students in particular have been “really interested” and able to ask questions “like you would a big sibling”.
Brooklyn Wilson with Bream Bay School students Amber Ardern (left), Hosanna Shandil (middle) and Sophie Pram.
Hauora Taiwhenua chief executive Dr Grant Davidson said training more healthcare workers is vital to address the need in rural areas.
“More than half of our 195 rural practices are grappling with vacancies, and within the next 10 years, about 50 per cent of these GPs are set to retire,” he said.
“We need to have more people training as doctors, nurses, physios, and other health professionals who are likely to work in rural areas. All the supporting evidence shows that students from rural backgrounds are more likely to return and give back to their rural communities.”
The trips took place on back-to-back weeks across the North, with tertiary students travelling as far north as Opononi and as far south as Ruakākā.
Data from a 2022 workforce survey for the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners found that of the respondents, 48 per cent of rural hospital doctors got their first medical degree overseas, compared with 35 per cent of respondents in urban areas.
The findings also highlighted an ageing workforce, one where GPs are more likely to be older if working rurally.
According to Te Whatu Ora, one in four New Zealanders reside in a rural area or small town, yet almost 40 per cent of rural practices have reported a GP vacancy.
Brodie Stone is the education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie recently graduated from Massey University and has a special interest in the environment and investigative reporting.
