Conversations around targeted admission schemes have resurfaced as the public debate over equity, fairness and what the health workforce should look like continues ahead of the November election.
So, what does MAPAS actually do? We look at how the scheme works, why it was established, and what research shows about student outcomes.
Targeted admission schemes
Targeted admission schemes use targeted policies and programmes to address well-documented barriers faced by groups that are under-represented in education and training.
With respect to the education and training of the health workforce, these policies and programmes have two main aims:
- To increase the representation of specific population groups in the health workforce.
- To recognise that long-term health outcomes often improve when the health workforce reflects the communities it serves.
The University of Auckland (UoA) offers a range of targeted policies and programmes aligned with these aims.
The Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS) is one of three targeted admission schemes offered by the university. The others are the Regional Rural Admission Scheme (RRAS) and the Undergraduate Targeted Admission Scheme (UTAS).
MAPAS
The overarching objective of MAPAS is to increase the proportion of Māori and Pacific medical doctors practising in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This is carried out through:
- Culturally grounded educational and pastoral support for MAPAS students
- A separate admissions pool for MAPAS students
Through MAPAS, the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FMHS) allocates approximately 30% of places to Māori and Pacific students. For 2027, the FMHS programme limitations indicate that the maximum number of spaces in the Bachelor of Medicine programme is 347. Of this total it is expected that 127 will be allocated to MAPAS / UTAS students.
MAPAS does not lower academic standards. Eligible applicants complete the same first-year gateway requirements as all other applicants. Instead, MAPAS provides a separate ranking pool and a Specialty Interview conducted by the MAPAS Admissions Panel.
It is important to note that MAPAS students only compete for spaces in their allocated pool. If all spaces in the MAPAS pool aren’t filled, then they will be reallocated (and vice-versa).
History of MAPAS
Cecil Lewis, the inaugural Dean of the Auckland Medical School, was keen to attract more Māori and Pacific applicants. He proposed that the school allocate places to Māori and Pacific students, which was ultimately approved by the University Senate. Accordingly, the precursor to what would eventually become known as MAPAS was established in 1972 with the medical school allocating up to 3 places for Māori and Pacific students from a total intake of 60 students.
Notable early graduates of the programme include:
- Jennifer Rankin (the first graduate in 1978)
- David Tipene-Leach
- Sue Crengle
- Jonathan Koea
- Sheree Moko
While the growth of the scheme was slow in the 70s, the momentum started to build in the 80s, when the original allocation increased from 3 places to 9. By the end of the 90s, this figure eventually rose to 23. The 90s also saw the Auckland University Medical Students’ Association gifting Ngā Kete Mātauranga, a study room for MAPAS students.
Vision 20:20
Despite the steady expansion of the scheme by the end of the 90s, Māori and Pacific entrants to medical school made up only around 12% of new students. The faculty was motivated to increase these numbers further. As a result, the faculty introduced their Vision 20:20 initiative. Through Vision 20:20, the faculty proposed a more ambitious target. This was to increase the proportion of the Māori and Pacific health workforce to 10% by the year 2020.
To achieve this target, Vision 20:20 instituted three components:
- Whakapiki Ake Project (WAP) – A recruitment programme that actively engages with Māori students enrolled in secondary schools to promote health as a career and entry into health professional programmes. WAP offers exposure to health career options, assistance for students to apply to university and some financial support for successful applicants.
- Certificate in Health Sciences (CertHSc) – A 1-year foundation programme preparing Māori and Pacific students for entry into tertiary study within nursing, pharmacy and health sciences (a pathway to medicine). The CertHSc course content has a focus on academic and science literacy, including chemistry, physics, biology and population health.
- MAPAS – further increasing the Māori and Pacific student allocation for medical school. This currently sits at about 30% of the total cap.
Results of the scheme
A 2025 evaluation aimed to quantitatively assess educational performance of Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS) interventions at the UoA from 2016 to 2023. This evaluation found that: [1]
- MAPAS student course pass rates, retention rates, and graduation rates were between 8 and 18 percentage points higher than total UoA Māori and Pacific bachelor’s degree students.
- The retention rates (doctors staying in NZ) for Māori and Pacific medical graduates were higher than Pākehā graduates and significantly higher than international graduates.
The debate around MAPAS has implications beyond who gets into university. It also raises questions about who makes up our health workforce and how well it serves our communities.
That’s why we’re breaking it down – to help whānau understand what’s being debated and what it could mean for the future of hauora in Aotearoa.
References
- Borland, A., Mills, C., Gooder, C., Reddy, S., Anderson, A., & Reid, P. (2025). Evaluating Indigenous health workforce development interventions for Māori and Indigenous Pacific tertiary students: Success at Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland (2016-2023). New Zealand Medical Journal, 138(1621), 65-76. https://nzmj.org.nz/journal/vol-138-no-1621/evaluating-indigenous-health-workforce-development-interventions-for-maori-and-indigenous-pacific-tertiary-students-success-at-w