Te Tiratū board member Mataroria Lyndon has challenged misconceptions about targeted admission schemes in an interview with The Spinoff, arguing that growing the Māori and Pacific health workforce is essential to addressing persistent health inequities.
A doctor, medical educator and former Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS) student, Lyndon says Māori and Pacific students admitted through targeted pathways sit the same exams and meet the same standards as their peers. He highlights the wider value of a more representative medical workforce, including stronger connections with whānau and communities, greater cultural competence and more Māori doctors working in rural and community settings. While supporting review and improvement of MAPAS, Lyndon says the continued under-representation of Māori and Pacific doctors means there is still a clear need to grow the workforce and ensure Māori and Pacific tauira can succeed once they enter medical school.