We have always been dedicated to supporting initiatives that create lasting impact on Rarotonga and across the Pacific. One of the most meaningful ways we do this is through our Scholarships for Pacific Island Medical Students.

The scholarships provide up to $10,000 per year to Pacific students studying for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. The goal is simple but vital: to increase the number of Pacific doctors, ensuring more culturally appropriate healthcare and better health outcomes across the region.

Now in their fourth year, the Scholarships have supported 20 students so far. Another scholar has recently graduated as a doctor, while several more are in their final year of study. Some have already returned to the Islands to spend time working in local healthcare systems — a sign of the ripple effect these scholarships are beginning to create.

For the students, the support is more than financial. It provides encouragement, recognition, and the freedom to focus fully on their studies. For our communities, it means a stronger pipeline of Pacific doctors who can serve with both skill and cultural understanding.

We are proud that this initiative, like so many of our community projects, is made possible by MOTU’s guests. Your choice to stay with us directly supports a healthier future for Rarotonga and the Pacific.

Hear what one of our scholarship recipients has to say:

“My journey through medical school has been filled with challenges, especially financial ones. There were moments when I genuinely questioned whether I could complete my degree. This scholarship became a lifeline, and it not only lifted the financial burden but also gave me hope and stability at a time I needed it most.

Thanks to this support, I am now in my final year of medicine and preparing for an eight-week elective, six of which I will spend in Tonga, reconnecting with my roots and contributing to a health system close to my heart. I know wholeheartedly that without this scholarship, I simply would not be in this position.

This scholarship has not only changed my life, but it has given me the fortunate gift of seeing my potential as limitless. The opportunities it has opened up have allowed me to dream bigger, reach further, and step more confidently into my future, and for that, I am forever deeply grateful.”

Photo: Our owner John Dunn performing surgery at Rarotonga Hospital.