Mum's medical condition inspires son to pursue health career

Tangaroa College student Iosefatu Tapuai's curiosity about his mother's medication has led to a passion for healthcare.

Tapuai is one of 26 high school students participating in the Pacific Health Cadetship, a four-week programme designed to inspire the next generation of Pacific healthcare workers.

"As a kid, my mother would always be in and out of the hospital relying on pills to be strong every day," he said.

"I’d be extremely curious as to why these helped her and what properties they had."

That curiosity led him to the cadetship, where he spent time with Middlemore Hospital's Pharmacy team.

Twenty-six health cadets will spend time at fourteen agencies across four weeks. Photo/Supplied

Next year, Tapuai plans to study Health Science at the University of Otago to pursue biomedical engineering.

"I am interested in things such as biochemistry and improving medicinal health for people.”

Tapuai said the cadetship would give him practical experience to add to his CV and prepare him for his tertiary studies.

"I’m excited to gain as much knowledge and preparation as possible before I go to university next year."

Middlemore Hospital. Photo/Local Democracy Reporter Stephen Forbes

Tapuai was also a recipient of a Toloa Secondary Scholarship in 2024.

Better representation in health

Pacific people make up 4.9 per cent of New Zealand’s health workforce despite representing 8.9 per cent of the population.

The Pacific Health Cadetship is for Year 13 Pacific Health Science Academy students who want to pursue health-related qualifications.

The initiative is led by the Pacific FOU team in collaboration with Counties Manukau Allied Health and the National Pacific Workforce and funded by the Middlemore Foundation and Hynds Foundation.

Former Health NZ chair Rob Campbell warns healthcare job cuts will impact Pacific communities.

General Manager of Pacific Health Development Doana Fatuleai said they were eager to support the initiative.

“We are diverse in culture and language, and I know the difference it can make for patients to see our people in healthcare roles.

“We need to increase our workforce. We need you. We want you, and we welcome you.”

Cadets are assigned to 14 different services across three weeks, with their final week spent with the Orderlies service at Middlemore Hospital.