Hope to be a role model for young wāhine – Rangikata
"Every field needs more Māoritanga, Māori people, and Māori excellence within it."
Rangikata Turner O'Carroll - Tertiary Tauira
Ko Taranaki te Mounga
Ko Waitara, ko Mohakatino, ko Waiongana ngā awa
Ko Tokomaru te waka
Ko Te Āti Awa, ko Ngāti Tama ngā iwi
Ko Ōtaraua, ko Puketapu ngā hapū
Ko Puke Aruhe, Ko Otaraua, Ko Muru Raupatu ngā marae
Nō Waitara-nui-a-Whare-Matangi-ki-te-kimi-tana-matua-a-Ngarue ahau
Ko Rangikata Turner O’Carroll tōku ingoa
Kia ora whānau, my name is Rangikata Turner O’Carroll, and I was born and bred in Waitara. I am the eldest of seven tamariki. I attended Te Kōhanga Reo o Ngā Pekanga,
Waitara East, Manukōrihi Intermediate, and Waitara High School.
Throughout my high school years, I always knew I wanted to work with people in some capacity. Initially, I was interested in criminology and forensics. However, after doing an internship with a forensic scientist during high school, I realised that wasn’t the pathway for me—it was a bit too freaky!
In my final year at Waitara High, Why Ora helped me apply for the COACH programme with Auckland University/Whakapiki Ake. This transition programme for Māori students interested in healthcare reignited my passion for the health sector and clarified what I wanted to study.
Currently, I am working full-time in the hapū space while completing my final year of a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in Population Health at Waipapa Taumatarau (UoA).
My passion lies in the healthcare industry, particularly in promoting the health of Māori and Pasifika people.
I aspire to become a physician because of my first-hand experiences with the health disparities that Māori and Pasifika people face in Aotearoa. I hope to be a role model for young wāhine like myself who are passionate about healthcare.
Of all the brilliant doctors we have in Aotearoa, 5.1% are
Māori, and 2.4% are Pasifika (source: Medical Council of New Zealand). This highlights the lack of cultural understanding in the field, with western medicinal practices often taking precedence. My goal is to create a space where these approaches can coexist and be used together to improve health outcomes for our people.
Reignited with this passion, my aspiration is to contribute to the Māori healthcare workforce and uplift the health of our people and my whānau.
One piece of advice I would give to anyone thinking about their future is to take every opportunity to explore what’s out there. You’ll never know your interests and passions—or
whether they truly resonate with you—unless you try them. Once you’ve found your passion, hold onto it tightly. Every field needs more Māoritanga, Māori people, and Māori excellence within it.
