A young tradesman who combined life in construction with rigorous studies has achieved a notable professional transformation by obtaining a doctorate in medicine.
Joshua Brown, 25, graduated in December from the University of Auckland in New Zealand with a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery.
Growing up in Auckland, Dr Brown never imagined a future in medicine.
“I always wanted to be a builder,” he said. ‘I took subjects like wood technology and engineering at school. I was really attracted to him from a young age and thought I had my life planned out.’
But everything changed when his family introduced him to Whakapiki Ake, an initiative by the University of Auckland’s School of Medical and Health Sciences, aimed at increasing the number of Māori and Pacific people in the health workforce.
‘When Dad encouraged me to attend a Whakapiki Ake session, I thought, why not give medicine a try? At least I’ll have my construction apprenticeship at my disposal if it doesn’t work out,” Dr Brown said.
Dr. Brown started with a Certificate in Health Sciences in 2018.
“The more I dedicated myself to studying, the more passionate I became,” he said. “It wasn’t just about meeting assignment deadlines, but a genuine desire to learn.”
New Zealander Joshua Brown became a doctor after participating in an initiative of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland.
Former tradesman turned doctor says his decade on construction sites taught him skills he now uses in hospital every day (file image)
He shared that his passion grew with each step of his studies, fueling a genuine desire to learn and ultimately motivating him to complete the PhD.
‘While studying, I continued working as a laborer between Glover Homes and NZ Builders. I’ve been doing this for the last decade.
“They are both really fantastic teams and, surprisingly, they taught me skills and qualities that I use every day in the hospital.”
“Working in the trades from a young age significantly helped my ability to connect and interact with people from different backgrounds, which definitely played a huge role in helping me progress through medical school.”
In his final year, Dr. Brown completed his stay at Middlemore Hospital.
He will officially start there as a junior doctor in 2025, leaving his working days behind him forever.
Dr. Brown photographed with his father, Mike Brown, and his partner, Caitlyn Wheeler.
Dr Brown said he was excited about his future and hoped to specialize in emergency medicine, particularly helping Māori and Pacific peoples who face systemic inequalities in the New Zealand health system.
“I want to say a huge congratulations to my whānau, because I would never be where I am today without their endless help and support,” Dr Brown said.
“They all pointed me in the right direction to find my “why” in life, a profession where I can lead by example and take care of our people every day.”