The past, present and future of Aotearoa New Zealand’s first medical school will be highlighted and celebrated when the Otago Medical School, Te Kura Hauora o Ōtākou turns 150 next year.
Registration is open for the School’s 150th anniversary commemorations which will be held in Dunedin from Thursday, 29 May to Sunday, 1 June 2025 (King’s Birthday weekend). The event is targeted at alumni, past and present staff, and current students.
Otago Medical School 150th Committee Chair Emerita Professor Dawn Elder says the anniversary weekend will celebrate 150 years of clinical training, research and innovation across the three campuses – Ōtepoti Dunedin, Ōtautahi Christchurch and Pōneke Wellington.
“This will be a great opportunity for people to reconnect with their fellow alumni, reflect on the School’s past achievements and be inspired by today’s medical students and researchers,” Professor Elder says.
“While we will be talking about some of the special firsts since 1875, we also want to highlight some of the remarkable careers and contributions of our alumni that have not been so well publicised.”
There will be a varied programme for the weekend including celebrating student and academic research and talking about medical training over the years and currently. There will be tours of the medical school and across the Dunedin campus, a light-hearted Medical Revue show and a gala dinner.
A session on the role of the University as critic and conscience of society will be chaired by Professor Sir David Skegg and will discuss how that role applies to speaking out about issues related to health. Current Otago medical students will also have the opportunity to meet alumni and a staff/alumni v students debate is planned.
University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka Vice-Chancellor Hon Grant Robertson, who will be speaking at the gala evening, emphasised the ongoing value of the Otago Medical School.
“This weekend will be a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the School’s important legacy. However, it’s also a chance to illustrate the ways in which the School continues to be influential, through its training of medical students, its distinguished alumni and the impact of innovative research.”
Health Sciences Pro-Vice-Chancellor Associate Professor Megan Gibbons says while celebrating the past, the University is also looking to the future.
“As we look to celebrate the last 150 years of medical education, we also know we have a strong role in shaping the future medical and health workforce and this is an exciting place to be.”
Programme details and how to register can be found here.