Gisborne Hospital’s young doctors an eclectic mix

Gisborne Hospital’s new house officers are (from left) Alice Burgess, Noah Hemi, Kahurangi Ross-Hoskins, Jamie Kennelly, Dhru Thakur, Balu Solanki, Jack Kells, Alexander Slesarenko, Vindy Ponnamperuma, Marina Lee, Aleksandr Shnyrov, Bola Akinsete. Absent is Emmanuel Ofili. Picture supplied

Ten new house officers from Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world have joined the team at Gisborne Hospital this month with three more due to start soon.

Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti interim hospital lead Bhargav Srinivasan says the staffing figures are proof that Gisborne Hospital is an employer of choice and a great place for attracting talent.

“Being an employer of choice is an advantageous position to be in.

Gisborne Hospital offers health sector trainees a wide range of unique experiences and skills at secondary care level, and it’s our local community who benefit.”

House officers are doctors who have finished medical school and registration with the Medical Council of New Zealand.

They have not yet started their speciality training and their experience at Gisborne Hospital will help them with that decision.

This year’s intake of 13 house officers have joined 10 second-year house officers employed last year.

Mr Srinivasan says the new group of house officers defies the expectation that many junior doctors are fresh out of university.

“While we do have a few new graduates joining the Tairāwhiti team, the 2024 cohort is brimming with experience and people with interesting careers and previous postings.”

Alexander Slesarenko worked as a surgeon in Russia before moving to New Zealand six years ago.

Originally a phlebotomist (a person who collects and manages samples such as urine, blood and swabs),

Vindy Ponnamperuma comes from Sri Lanka and says she is thrilled to be starting her career in medicine in New Zealand.

Kahurangi Ross-Hoskins (Ngāpuhi) has managed to squeeze in walking the entire length of New Zealand on the 3000km-long Te Araroa Trail before starting his first role as a qualified doctor in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.

Mr Srinivasan says the eclectic mix of histories, lives, and backstories, as well as the medical talent of the new house officers, brings uniqueness and diversity to Gisborne.

“We’re excited to see what our new house officers can achieve whilst working at the hospital and hope you as a community will welcome them and show them why we’re proud to be from Tairāwhiti.”