Becoming a doctor, the Ōtara way

After a decade of working in factories during his study breaks, Dr Jodeci Namulau'ulu-Siō (Fogapoa, Lauli'i, Gataivai, Pu'apu'a, Iva) has graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Auckland.

Raised in Ōtara, affectionately known as ‘Home of the Brave’, as one of seven siblings in a three-bedroom home, Jodeci says his pathway into medicine looked different to many of his peers, having added responsibilities outside of the classroom.

“I was balancing study with work and family commitments,” he says. "But I have watched my parents who have worked tirelessly to support me and my siblings my entire life, which gave me the determination to graduate."

Jodeci’s first experience of the health system came at 14, when he helped care for his grandparents. His grandfather was admitted to Middlemore Hospital, where Jodeci stayed to assist with daily care. But his most significant role was to be a translator for his grandfather during medical conversations.

“There were interactions that were culturally inappropriate or condescending, and they made my grandfather feel uncomfortable,” he says. “I felt intimidated and emotionally charged, as I didn’t have the tools to know how to respond.”

Watching both grandparents in pain left him feeling helpless, but it also strengthened his desire to pursue medicine.

Between 2012 and 2013, during his final years of high school, Jodeci lost three grandparents. The loss was profound, but it also reinforced his commitment to serving others.

“My grandparents constantly told me: ‘tausi le aiga’, look after your family, remember Sāmoa, and serve our people,” he says.

One of the highlights of his medical training was completing an elective placement in Sāmoa, at the hospital in Tuasivi, Savai’i, near his grandfather’s village. He had promised his grandfather he would return and work there.

“This year I was able to complete my elective and use additional leave to keep working in Sāmoa,” he says. “This was home, and it felt like an inherent responsibility rather than work experience, I enjoyed every moment.”

Jodeci’s 12-year journey included academic setbacks that forced him to pause and reassess. During his third year, external commitments affected his studies, leading him to fail two core papers and defer another.

Like many Māori and Pacific students, Jodeci was carrying additional responsibilities alongside full-time study and work, responsibilities that can significantly affect a student’s capacity to move through university in a straightforward way.

“I seriously questioned whether I belonged in medicine,” he says. “Not because I lacked ability, but because I was carrying a lot outside university.”

But support from his MAPAS adviser, the late Susanadaisy (Sana) Jensen, helped him stay the course.

“Sana sat with me and helped develop a plan,” he says. “That plan carried me through to the end.”

Jodeci received the Susanadaisy Jensen Award, an honour that recognises commitment to serve Māori and Pacific communities, determination and excellence. He describes the moment as one of his greatest achievements.

“I’ve been fortunate to receive guidance from mentors and peers, and giving back to students coming through has always been important to me,” he says. “To be chosen is truly humbling.”

Growing up in Ōtara continues to influence how he sees his role as a doctor.

“If I can become a doctor, then others can too,” he says. “Being from Home of the Brave, I hope patients will feel a sense of home and belonging in seeing someone who looks like them, speaks like them, and understands them."

“Having lived experience of those interactions helps inform how I interact with patients,” he says. “I aim to provide quality health services that are culturally safe and appropriate, to address health inequities and improve Pasifika health in Aotearoa New Zealand and the wider Pacific region.”

For Jodeci, graduating is not only a personal milestone, but a reflection of the community that carried him.

“Ōtarians have a lot to offer to society,” he says. “Our lived experiences help us navigate challenges. Chase your dreams.”

Jodeci will start as a junior doctor at Middlemore Hospital in 2026, where his dream began.