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Northland District Health Board member and Auckland University senior lecturer Mataroria Lyndon says we are generations away from worrying about Mori and Pacific students taking all the places in medical school.

Mori doctors feel unsupported and undermined as debate continues over whether Otago University medical school's admissions scheme is unfair.

The university is fighting a legal challenge to its Mirror on Society policy, which prioritises entry into first-year medical school for special category students Mori, Pasifika, rural, refugee and low socio-economic.

The legal challenge is from a man who claims the policy meant his child missed out on general entry, despite their results averaging more than 92 per cent.

Last month, a selection policy change discussion document presented to the University of Otagos medical admissions committee suggested capping the number of Mori and Pasifika special entry spaces, though the university maintains it was not a proposal for change.

Dr Mataroria Lyndon, who is a Northland District Health Board member, public health doctor, Auckland University senior lecturer and Fulbright scholar, said talk of Otago limiting progress was disappointing to say the least.

READ MORE:* Otago Uni will fight legal challenge to its med school special entry scheme* Caution urged over 'out of blue' proposal to limit special pathway for Mori, Pasifika at Otago Med School* She aspired to be a doctor at 10, to 'make a point' that Mori can

I feel for Mori medical students in these programmes who are feeling that they are being perceived negatively.As medical students, everybody sits the same assessments and comes out with the competencies expected to graduate. There is no difference there.

POOL

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield offer support to Otago Medical School's admissions policy. (First published September 4, 2020)

Lyndon, a graduate of Auckland Universitys counterpart scheme, said publicly funded medical schools were obliged to think beyond individuals and to serve the nation.

Getting into medical school is not a given. It is actually part of a broad strategy or plan.

Lyndon, a South Aucklander who was the first in his family to go to medical school, completed a thesis about why students pursued medicine. It showed Mori students were more motivated by serving their communities.

The same could be said about Pasifika and rural students, he said.

It is not just being Mori, for Mori, it is for everybody.

Pkeh benefited from coming from long lines of medical professionals.

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Professor Papaarangi Mary-Jane Reid, Auckland University head of Mori health, says medical school selection is like All Black selection, where you may think your child has what it takes but they may not be the best fit for the team.

University of Auckland Professor of Mori health and public health doctor Papaarangi Reid compared medical school selection to All Black selection in the September 20 edition of E-Tangata magazine.

A parent might think their child worked hard and had what it took but they might not be the best fit for the team, she wrote.

Most of the nation is ready to be benevolent towards Mori and our needs but many choke when it comes to affirming our rights and when our excellence may constrain their privilege.

The comments come after 785 female doctors signed a letter urging Otago University not to place any limits on the scheme.

Dr Janet Rhodes September 3 letter to Dean Professor Rathan Subramaniam said the scheme had begun the slow process of addressing [racial] disparity in a system designed by Pkeh for Pkeh.

Rhodes, a trainee general surgeon, told Stuff debate about the scheme was leaving her Mori colleagues feeling unsupported and undermined.

It is making them feel like their struggles are really unvalidated.

She was frustrated society was listening to people who have the resources to fight on a legal platform and ignoring Treaty of Waitangi legalities.

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Northland District Health Board member, public health doctor, Fulbright scholar, and Auckland University senior lecturer Mataroria Lyndon says we are generations away from worrying about Mori and Pasifika taking all places in medical school.

Academic ability was not enough to make a good doctor.

Nobody should be trying to get into medical school without a back-up plan.

Of the 202 students granted entry from the 2019 first-year health science course, 120 came from special categories. Some argued the current policy allowed all places to be filled by special entry students.

Lets say there was an intake where that happened, I think that is something that should be celebrated as a real success, rather than denigrated, Rhodes said.

Opposition to that possibility showed underlying racism.

A spokeswoman said the university had received letters from a variety of people and organisations expressing views on the equity scheme.

The universitys senior leaders will meet medical students next week to discuss their concerns.

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Medical school 'like All Black selection' - focus is on what is best for the team - Stuff.co.nz