Te Huarahi Roa—The Long Road

Māori are significantly underrepresented within the surgical health workforce in Aotearoa, perpetuating longstanding inequities in access, experiences and outcomes. Little is known about the experiences of Māori across the continuum from medical school to consultancy. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Māori doctors to identify barriers, enablers and opportunities for improving pathways into surgery. A qualitative study was undertaken using a Kaupapa Māori methodological approach, combining an online survey of Māori medical students, junior doctors, and registrars with semi-structured interviews with Māori surgical consultants. Key motivators for pursuing surgery were early surgical exposure, strong mentorship and commitment to improving Māori health. Culturally grounded initiatives such as the interview preparation wānanga and mentorship, particularly from Māori senior clinicians, were recognized as strong supportive factors. Key barriers included systemic and interpersonal racism, limited access to Māori mentors, and the cultural tensions experienced when navigating predominantly Pākehā surgical environments. This study provides one of the first continuum-wide insights into Māori doctors' experiences within surgical training. Addressing systemic barriers and strengthening culturally grounded support structures is essential to improving Māori representation and equity within the surgical workforce.