Tarah Fepulea'i
Tarah Fepulea'i is following in the footsteps of her maternal grandmother by forging a career in health.
The decision to pursue a career in health took root at a young age, mainly inspired by my maternal grandmother who served in Samoa as a public health and district nurse.
"Growing up in a Samoan family, my parents instilled the importance of education in me and my siblings, so they were very excited for me to pursue higher education. After spending my entire childhood and early adolescent years in Matautu, Samoa, I migrated to Auckland in 2012 to further my educational opportunities.
"In my first year out of high school, I undertook the Hikitia Te Ora - Certificate in Health Sciences. This gave me great insight into the many different clinical and non-clinical health pathways and further honed my applied science knowledge and skills.
"I then studied the Bachelor of Health Sciences which enabled me to gain a broader understanding of health inequities, the social determinants of health and the effects of equitable health policies.
"MAPAS has been an integral part of my academic and cultural journey throughout my studies. I have been surrounded with like-minded individuals who share a common goal of improving the health of our communities while staying true to our cultural values.
"As medical students, we are in a very privileged position to see and care for patients at their most vulnerable. There have been many valuable learning experiences, from translating health information for Samoan patients to talking through medication regimens to improve medication compliance and understanding."