Health Sciences planting ROOTS

A pilot programme to support students from rural backgrounds in their first year of Health Sciences at Otago was launched at a welcome celebration for the tauira who will most benefit from it.

The ROOTS (Rural Origins at Otago Tauira Support) programme is designed to equip these students with early and targeted academic, pastoral, social and admissions support.

Equity Group Lead for Rural Origins Students, Professional Practice Fellow Riiti Conway, says this programme directly aligns with the Learner Success Plan within the University’s Strategic Plan ‘Pae Tata’, and its commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“By supporting rural students from the moment they enter Health Sciences First Year, ROOTS strengthens their sense of belonging, reduces barriers to academic success, and builds a sustained pathway into Health Sciences Professional Programmes,” Riiti says.

“Otago research shows that tauira who come from rural communities are more likely to return to them after completing their studies and so this programme aims to not only improve their confidence and increase their overall success, but to encourage them on this pathway.

“The initiative positions Otago as a national leader in rural health equity and ensures long term impact and sustainability by investing into this space.”

On Thursday 19 March, the programme was launched at a welcome event for Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) students who identify as having rural origins. More than 100 students attended, connected with the wider rural health community, and signed up to the programme.

Feedback from the tauira attending was overwhelmingly positive with individuals saying they appreciated meeting like-minded people, learnt the rural community was larger than they’d originally perceived, and felt less alone in both their rural identity and desire to return to rural communities for work after their studies.

The Director of HSFY, Professor Fiona McDonald, attended the event to offer encouragement and guidance to these students, including tips for succeeding in their studies and what pursuing a rural healthcare pathway might look like.

Kai and refreshments were provided while tauira networked and got acquainted with the HSFY support team. Andrew McLennan from the Matagouri Rural Health Club and Jimi MacMillan  from the Centre for Rural Health also spoke at the event providing further information about rural pathways.

“The event served as the perfect opportunity to explain to these students how the rural origins pathway works for entry into healthcare programmes, what support is available to them, how they might plan their year, and hear from other students who are already on the rural health journey,” Riiti says.

“It’s wonderful to see ROOTS launched and be able to welcome HSFY students for 2026 so we can begin supporting them at a grassroots level, enabling them to be successful in their desires to provide high-calibre healthcare services to rural communities across Aotearoa.”

– Kōrero by the Division of Health Sciences Communications Adviser, Kelsey Swart.