Taking Rural Health Careers on the Road — Rural School Visits

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network and Students of Rural Health Aotearoa (SoRHA) hit the road once again, bringing the Rural Health Careers Promotion Programme to colleges across the country. The kaupapa? To spark interest in health careers among rural rangatahi. With energy, enthusiasm, and a boot full of tendon hammers, tertiary health student volunteers visited years 9–13 students, running interactive workshops packed with practical skills, personal stories, and real-world advice.

It’s all about helping rural students see themselves in a wide range of health careers — whether that’s in pharmacy, oral health, paramedicine, psychology, or any of the many other vital roles that keep our communities thriving. These visits show that a future in health is not only possible, but meaningful — and that rural students have a place in it.

In early September, two tours rolled through Canterbury and Otago/Southland, clocking up 600km over five days. The following week, two more tours hit the road in the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne regions, racking up nearly 2,000km between them. Across the four tours, dedicated tertiary student volunteers from a wide range of disciplines — including medicine, pharmacy, paramedicine, occupational therapy, optometry, oral health, psychology, medical imaging, and health science — delivered hands-on, high-energy workshops to local rangatahi.

Students were engaged, asking thoughtful questions and diving into activities like testing pupil light reflexes, using tendon hammers, and checking blood pressure. The tours also stopped in at rural health practices, giving student volunteers a behind-the-scenes look at healthcare in rural communities. In Otago/Southland, student volunteers visited West Otago Health Limited — a facility combining general practice, urgent care, an emergency room, and aged care under one roof. There, student volunteers observed firsthand how rural GPs often deliver a broader scope of care, including minor surgeries, due to the distances patients may need to travel for hospital-based services.

Cultural connection was another key highlight — especially on the Gisborne tour, where student volunteers were warmly welcomed to Ngata Memorial College and Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School with waiata and traditional greetings. Micaiah (Ngāti Porou) led the group’s response in te reo Māori, helping create a respectful exchange. Student volunteers reflected on how valuable it was to have someone fluent in te reo Māori and familiar with tikanga to guide the process.

Of course, no rural tour is complete without a few logistical adventures — including navigating rural roads and icy mornings. One Otago/Southland driver recalled: “When we got up, the car was completely iced over, and the temperature was -4 degrees. Luckily, the car came with an ice scraper!” But despite the frosty starts, the warmth of the community — and the enthusiasm from students — made it all worth it. As Krish Kanabar, trip leader for the Canterbury tour, shared:

“It was inspiring to see the positive impact we could make on students’ perceptions of healthcare, and the enthusiasm they showed reinforced how valuable these visits are. The in-person connection cannot be replicated online.”

The impact of the programme is felt not only by student volunteers, but also by college students and their teachers. A teacher from the Canterbury region said:

“After your presentations, we always have a few students coming in to see their careers counsellor, wanting to change their NCEA subjects to one of the sciences.”

That’s exactly what the programme is all about — to plant the seed early, showing rural rangatahi what’s possible, giving them the information and encouragement to pursue a career in health, and building a future rural health workforce that reflects and supports the communities it serves.