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The rural school visits are the flagship initiative of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network’s Rural Health Careers Promotion Programme (RHCPP), delivered in partnership with the Students of Rural Health Aotearoa (SoRHA) Chapter and supported by Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network.
Designed to grow the rural health workforce from within rural New Zealand, the programme connects secondary school students with tertiary health students who serve as relatable role models and ambassadors for health careers. In 2024/25, the programme delivered 12 rural school tours, visiting 83 rural schools across all 15 regions of Aotearoa and reaching more than 3,000 Year 9-13 students through interactive workshops and presentations. Evidence from New Zealand shows that students who undertake rural health training are up to six times more likely to return and work in rural communities, making early exposure to health careers a critical investment in the future rural workforce.
During these visits, tertiary students share their personal experiences of studying health, discuss the wide range of career pathways available, and provide practical advice on accessing tertiary education, scholarships, and support services. The programme also includes visits to rural medical practices, hospitals, and health providers, helping students gain a deeper understanding of the rewarding opportunities available in rural healthcare.
The impact of the programme is significant. Feedback from participating students showed that 45% felt encouraged to pursue a health career following the workshops, while a further 40% remained open to considering a future in health. These outcomes demonstrate the important role the programme plays in inspiring the next generation of rural health professionals and strengthening the long-term sustainability of New Zealand’s rural health workforce.
2024/25 Programme Highlights
Growing the rural health workforce by inspiring rural students to envision a future in health and wellbeing, close to home.
Are you a rural school interested in hosting a visit?
Throughout the year, we organise school visits to rural communities across New Zealand during tertiary study breaks. These visits give secondary school students the opportunity to learn about health careers directly from current health students.
If you would like your school to be considered for a future visit, we’d love to hear from you.
To register your interest, please contact: enquiries@htrhn.org.nz
Are you a tertiary health student interested in volunteering?
We welcome volunteers from a wide range of health disciplines and encourage applications from students in their second year of study or beyond. Whether you’re studying medicine, nursing, oral health, occupational therapy, psychology, social work, physiotherapy, pharmacy, or another health profession, we’d love to have you involved.
Why are these visits important?
Rural school visits are a vital part of our efforts to address the ongoing shortage of health professionals in rural communities across New Zealand.
Many rural students are unaware of the wide range of health career opportunities available to them or may face barriers in accessing information, role models, and guidance about tertiary study. By connecting current health students with rural schools, we help young people explore health careers, understand the pathways available, and see that these careers are achievable regardless of where they live.
Research consistently shows that students from rural backgrounds are more likely to return to rural communities to work after completing their training. By encouraging and supporting rural students to pursue careers in health, we are helping to build a sustainable rural health workforce for the future.
Hauora Taiwhenua has tried to fill this need through sourcing international General Practitioners to fill the gaps. Through the NZLocums & NZMedJobs team, Hauora Taiwhenua recruits international doctors and nurse practitioners, for short and long-term placements, which help provide immediate support for under-staffed rural communities.
Hauora Taiwhenua acknowledges that the long-term solution to this crisis requires us to train more doctors here in New Zealand and prepare them to work rurally where they are needed most.
Since 2019, Hauora Taiwhenua has run the rural health careers promotion programme to encourage secondary students to pursue a career in rural health. Research has shown that students with a rural background are more likely to choose to work in a rural location when they are qualified.
Through the Rural Health Careers Promotion programme, the Network’s goal is to ensure that we have an enthusiastic, resilient, and robust rural health workforce in the future.
Teams of tertiary health students travel to rural schools throughout New Zealand to deliver engaging presentations and interactive workshops for students in Years 9-13. During each visit, volunteers share their experiences of tertiary study, discuss different health career pathways, and answer questions about life as a health student and future health professional.
Students also take part in hands-on activities that showcase the practical side of health careers. Activities may include learning CPR, taking, taking blood pressure, conducting basic oral health demonstrations, and other interactive experiences. These sessions are always popular with students and provide valuable insight into the day-to-day work of different health professionals.
By sharing their stories, experiences, and advice, our volunteers help rural students see the many opportunities available within the health sector. Most importantly, they demonstrate that a rewarding career in health is achievable for young people from rural communities, regardless of where they live.
