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Initiatives and opportunities | Māori trainees

Māori take many different paths to becoming Fellows, and Te Waka Hauora and the Māori Health Committee (MHC) are here to support you throughout your journey.

We offer pastoral care, guidance, and a range of initiatives to strengthen your training experience, professional growth, and wellbeing. Whether you’re just beginning your training journey or already in advanced training, our programs and resources are tailored to help you thrive in your career as a physician while fostering cultural connection and leadership capability.

Ki Uta Ki Tai: Māori Trainee Journey

Ki Uta Ki Tai reflects the holistic support we provide throughout your training – from the beginning of your medical journey to fellowship. This framework underpins all of our initiatives, ensuring that Māori trainees and fellows are supported academically, professionally, and culturally.

Journey map showing key stages, support services, and milestones for Māori trainees entering the college.

View the Trainee journey map – Ki Uta, Ki Tai (PDF)

Indigenous Scholarships & Prizes

We have a range of scholarships that support medical graduates and current RACP trainees who identify as Māori on their chosen career path to becoming a physician.

See Indigenous Scholarships & Prizes and Education Development Grants for more information on how to apply.

Indigenous Leadership Fund

The Indigenous Leadership Fund provides funding support to eligible trainees and Fellows for activities that contribute to leadership, cultural and professional development. This includes but is not limited to conference attendance and relevant courses.

Coaching program

Māori trainees are invited to participate in confidential one-on-one coaching through Shepherd Psychology. This support is provided independently from the College, with coaching tailored to individual goals and able to focus on wellbeing, performance, or work-life balance. Sessions can be conducted online or in person, and the programme is fully funded by the College.

Current format includes:

  • Initial kōrero to set goals
  • 1 x 90-minute session and up to 2 additional 60-minute sessions

Contact:
Dr Matthew Shepherd | matt@shepherdpsychology.com | 027 218 0912

We recognise that in some circumstances trainees may wish to work with a different provider, for example, if they have a pre existing relationship with a psychologist. If this is the case, contact Te Waka Hauora to talk about the funding support available.

Te Pūnanga Rata: The Doctor's nest — Māori mentoring program

The Doctor's Nest connects Māori trainees with another Māori trainee or Fellow who is further along in their physician training journey. Through tuākana–teina relationships, mentees can share experiences, build confidence, navigate challenges, and receive guidance and support throughout training.

If you are interested in taking part in Te Pūnanga Rata please complete the Expression of Interest survey.

Events and networking opportunities

Annual Trainee Wānanga: Connect with Māori trainees across the College to learn, share experiences, and strengthen peer and professional networks. 13–14 August 2026, Wellington | Te Whanganui a Tara.

Māori Networking Hui: A series of networking events throughout the year in major centres, fostering connections across the Māori physician workforce. Hui for this year are as follows:
  • Auckland – Tuesday 12 May
  • Tauranga – Tuesday 30 June
  • Christchurch – Tuesday 28 July
  • Wellington – Tuesday 25 August
  • Hamilton – Tuesday 22 September
  • Northland – Tuesday 17 November

Complimentary physician briefcase

We have briefcases with equipment available to Māori trainees eligible for the Divisional Clinical Exam or other relevant clinical assessments. Contact Te Waka Hauora at hauoramaori@racp.org.nz to request your briefcase.

Fee Initiative 

The Fee Initiative removes annual training and exam registration fees for trainees not employed by Te Whatu Ora throughout Basic and Advanced Training. Contact Te Waka Hauora at hauoramaori@racp.org.nz if you have any pātai on eligibility.

Flexible Training Policy

Our Flexible Training Policy improves equity, wellbeing and inclusion in training, and ensures focus on educational outcomes is maintained.

Staying in touch

Hauora Māori Pānui

Maori ebulletin header

Stay connected with us through the Hauora Māori Pānui eBulletin. It’s our way of keeping you informed about what’s happening in Māori health, education, practice, advocacy, and research.

Read the latest edition

Matt Wheeler

Ka tangi te tīti
Ka tangi te kākā
Ka tangi hoki ahau
Tīhei mauri ora!

First and foremost, I hope this finds you all well as the spike in influenza and RSV gives us a late increase in patient numbers and sickness – just as the daffodils were sticking their heads up.

It is Manu Kōrero week for me in Tauranga, and I feel so lucky to have children who want to practise and learn (this at least). For my youngest, who is five, all she has to do is the tauparapara and her pepeha – but, man, she wants to give it a go, morning and night!

Over the last quarter, we have otherwise been all action and did not slow down for winter at all.

To those who attended the Māori Trainee Wānanga, I hope you had a fulfilling and useful time. We were able to connect at Zealandia and then learn together at the College over a full two days. It was great meeting more new faces and reconnect with others. To those who missed out, think about coming along next year. These are one of the few opportunities for us as Māori to gather at the College and support each other.

The creation and development of the Indigenous Curriculum continues, and we meet next month to see what it looks like and provide feedback. This is a great example of the College doing what it should, now that we have Te Tiriti embedded in the Constitution. This work will continue as we interlace it throughout all areas of the College.

The Māori Health Committee, together with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Committee, met with the new Board, Chair and President. We had a day of education from the Institute of Directors, including teaching about kotahitanga and Māori principles of governance.

This was a wonderful and heartening experience – seeing the appointed and elected members really listening to and absorbing these principles. It was important for the Māori Health Committee to start fresh with this new Board and ensure they understand our principles and values.

I attended the Te Oranga Kura Reo, and it was wonderful to see other College members there as well – celebrating and demonstrating what we do out there. It was awesome to see the next generation coming through and to share time with them.

It was particularly special, coming from Kāi Tahu, to be in the takiwā and have the opportunity to visit important sites such as Kaiapoi Pā and hear the kōrero from our people.

If anyone is feeling itchy at the lack of equity in action in Te Whatu Ora, remember there is always the College. We have many places and spaces for people to advocate in and are always looking for more trainees and Fellows – and we still have a space or two on the Committee itself.

Email us if you are interested.

No reira, e mihi ana ki a koutou i tō koutou mahi mutukore nei.

Tēnā koutou
Tēnā koutou
Tēnā koutou katoa

Otiria
Tena tatou katoa

Dr Matt Wheeler
RACP Māori Health Committee Chair 

Read more

 

Previous editions

Are you a Māori member?

Ensure your MyRACP is updated to reflect your Māori whakapapa. This helps the Te Waka Hauora identify and connect with you, and ensures you receive tailored communications and updates, including our quarterly pānui Te Waka Hauora can be contacted anytime via  hauoramaori@racp.org.nz.

Resources

Thinking about joining us? Learn more about how we can support you on your journey.          

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We acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and Elders — past, present and emerging — of the lands and waters on which RACP members and staff live, learn and work. RACP acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Find out more about our commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori health equity.

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