Pacific & Maori Health Wayfinders, University of Auckland visit Inspires Future Medical Professionals at Rutherford College

On June 12th, Rutherford College was fortunate to host a visit from Wayfinders, a program dedicated to supporting Pasifika and Māori students who are interested in pursuing careers in the medical field.

Three 1 hour Sessions run by Susana Vunipola and Arnold Thompson (NZ Bodybuilding Champion) the Pacific Health Wayfinders Engagement Advisers. Period 2 was Year 10’s, Period 3, Year 11’s and Period 4 Year 12 & 13’s.

The Wayfinders team spoke about the specific things that are required to get into Universities and to obtain Scholarships. These included the importance of Achieving all the Credits that are offered in year 12 and what subjects are needed to get into University for Health Sciences. They also spoke more in depth about how to apply for Pasifika and Māori scholarships. The Wayfinders team also helped students sign up for other Pasifika and Māori healthcare programs on opportunities. 

However, this wasn’t just a presentation—it was an interactive, hands-on experience. Students took part in engaging activities designed to build communication skills, foster teamwork, and simulate real-life medical scenarios.

These activities highlighted an essential lesson: in the Medical Profession, collaboration is key. Working closely with colleagues not only strengthens the clinical environment but also helps create a more comforting and effective space for patients.

One of the most powerful messages from the Wayfinders team was the importance of representation in healthcare. They spoke passionately about why it's crucial to have more Pasifika and Māori voices in medicine, especially to support patients who face language or cultural barriers. Representation can help bridge those gaps, ensuring our communities receive the care and understanding they deserve.

The visit left a lasting impression, reminding students that pursuing a career in medicine isn’t just about academics—it’s about giving back to our communities and making a meaningful difference.

Ayana Asif 12WS & Alexandra Poor 12HA

Participating in this Pacific Wayfinders workshop really helped us understand the academic path that's intended in being in the health workforce. We gained a lot of knowledge, helpful information that’ll help us succeed in life as Youngpa Pacific and Maori peers looking towards the health pathway. One thing we all learnt is that Medical School is one of the most expensive courses to take at University, so it's recommended that we keep up to date with our credits and scores so we could use the opportunity of getting a scholarship. They started us off with a question to think about and they asked “what is your why?” The three of us agreed that family took a massive part in why we wanted to study medicine. We want to put in the hard yards to get to that point where our families are able to see us in the workforce and feel safe and comfortable talking about their health and trusting that we would provide them the right care. This workshop was really helpful and we hope to see them again later in the year.

Thank you to Mr Talamaivao and Mr Smith for organising this for us.

Maatai Galiga  12GZ + Vilfred Crawley 12YT + William Kupu 12YT