Auckland mother awarded Prize in General Practice

MEDIA RELEASE
 
Auckland mother awarded ProCare’s Maori Prize in General Practice
 

AUCKLAND – 1 July 2009 – An Auckland mother who returned to school after raising three children received the ProCare Prize in General Practice today as the top-rated Maori medical student at the fifth-year undergraduate medical course at University of Auckland’s School of Population Health.

Fiona Shepherd, of Kohimarama, received the prize during a ceremony this morning in Auckland. The annual prize was created in 2003 to stimulate interest in general practice, as a career, for Maori students.

“I have been passionate about general practice for a long time,” Fiona said. “When I had the opportunity to return to school after raising my children, I knew I wanted to become a GP. General practice is not only about treating physical ailments. It’s about helping people and communities improve their overall quality of life.”

Fiona, who has worked for many years as a coach and with youth groups in Glen Innes, said she would like to work as a GP in either Glen Innes or Mangere.

The prize of $2,000 provides for registration fees, transport and accommodation to the annual conference of Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa, the Maori Medical Practitioners Association of Aotearoa.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, ProCare board chairman, Dr Peter Didsbury, said: “ProCare is very pleased to support this prize and honour Fiona’s achievements. The importance of general practice within our health system is being increasingly recognised, and ProCare wishes that more Maori enter general practice. We are privileged that Fiona is choosing to be a general practitioner.”

The award was presented in conjunction with the University of Auckland, School of Population Health.

ProCare also presents a Prize in General Practice to a top-rated Pacific medical student, which was awarded earlier this year to Tony Muller, a Tongan medical student.
 

ENDS

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