The first students from the new Graduate School of Medicine are expected in the rohe from 2029, following the success of a proposal from WBOP PHO, local iwi and regional partners.
The Western Bay of Plenty has secured a place in The University of Waikato’s new Graduate School of Medicine programme, with medical students expected to complete part of their clinical training in the rohe from 2029. This follows the success of Te Moana a Toi Partnership Proposal coordinated by WBOP PHO in collaboration with iwi and primary care partners. The announcement was made on 11 June 2026, when the wider Bay of Plenty was confirmed as one of the five regions selected nationally for the initiative.
Details released by Minister of Health Hon Simeon Brown outlined how clinical training will be delivered across each region. In the Bay of Plenty, students will undertake primary care training across Western Bay of Plenty and Rotorua communities, alongside secondary care experience at Tauranga Hospital. The programme also includes the establishment of Community Clinical Learning Centres (CCLCs), which will serve as The University of Waikato’s teaching facilities. Their final locations will be confirmed in the coming months.
Sarah Stevenson, Chief Executive of WBOP PHO, says the result is a milestone for the region. “This is a proud moment for the Bay of Plenty and for all the partners who came together to make this proposal possible. We have long known what our communities need. Doctors who call this place home, who understand the diversity and complexity of our region and who will stay. Today’s announcement is a significant step toward making that a reality.”
A collective achievement for Te Moana a Toi
The proposal was the result of months of preparation, including hui with general practices across the rohe to hear their perspectives, and drew on partnerships built across over many years. It was developed in collaboration with five partners, collectively supporting primary health services for approximately 240,000 enrolled patients across 47+ general practices. Partners include:
- Ngāi Te Rangi
- Ngāti Ranginui
- Ngāti Awa, through Te Tohu o te Ora o Ngāti Awa
- Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation
- Ngā Mataapuna Oranga
- Toi Manawa Alliance (previously Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance)
Stevenson says the collective nature of the proposal is its greatest strength. “The relationships between PHOs, iwi and community providers across Te Moana a Toi are what makes this region special, and it is those same relationships that will make this medical training model work.”
About the NZGSM
The New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine (NZGSM) is a new graduate-entry medical school established by The University of Waikato, the Ministry of Health and Te Whatu Ora Health NZ to help address doctor shortages in primary care and regional communities. Its first cohort of 120 students will begin in 2028, spending their first year in Hamilton before completing clinical training across five regions, including the Bay of Plenty.
