Nikita-Moana Ngaire Turoa
The MBChB programme allowed Nikita-Moana the perfect opportunity to focus on two things she is most passionate about: community health and the human body.
"I had a lot of personal experience with doctors growing up, having been born with a cleft pallet. I enjoyed being in the hospital for appointments and surgeries. Alongside this, I have always really liked community settings. My extended family is really close, and I love team sports. This paired with my interest in public health and the human body. So becoming a doctor with a side of public health research seemed the best fit.
I had no idea what I wanted to do until about year 11 when the Whakapiki Ake
programme came to my school. I ended up participating in Whakapiki Ake for the
following two years meeting heaps of young Māori students who were interested
in health too.
"I preferred English compared to physics so started at the University in the Bachelor of Health Sciences programme with the intention of entry into medicine.
“I am a very family-oriented person so coming from Thames, that played a huge decision in picking University of Auckland. The thing I was most worried about when I decided to move to Auckland was that I wouldn’t be able to find my people or my place. Once I moved into my hall of residence, I quickly realised that neither of those would be a problem.
“The University offers countless opportunities to make friends and feel like you belong. You just have to go out and find them. I would suggest doing a search through the clubs that the University has on offer, with clubs like dessert, sports, sustainability and more.”