Dr Selwyn Te Paa

Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Kahungunu

Recognised as an emerging leader, Selwyn Te Paa continues to combine clinical practice, research excellence, and cultural advocacy, making meaningful contributions to advancing Māori health equity.

 MBChB

Dr Selwyn Te Paa is driven by a deep commitment to improving hauora Māori, inspired by his upbringing within Te Ao Māori and the significant health inequities facing Māori communities.

A graduate of the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB, 2022), Selwyn further enriched his connection to his culture through advanced studies in Te Reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, achieving Te Rōnakitanga, Te Aupikitanga and Te Pīnakitanga ki te Reo Kairangi and is now a member of Te Matakahi o Ngāti Whātua.

Currently a Surgical Registrar at Te Whatu Ora Capital Coast and Hutt Valley Health and a Medical Research Fellow at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ), Selwyn actively contributes to critical research addressing Māori health disparities, including improving COVID-19 rapid antigen testing, asthma management and Māori health research.

Selwyn's commitment to leadership and service was nurtured during his schooling at Hato Pāora College and further expressed through his advocacy for te reo Māori in healthcare settings. He consistently promotes cultural competency as essential in healthcare by previously facilitating te reo classes for medical students and is a Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the University of Otago.

Recognised as an emerging leader, Selwyn Te Paa continues to combine clinical practice, research excellence, and cultural advocacy, making meaningful contributions to advancing Māori health equity.

Links:

University of Otago: Improving Māori health the driving force for graduating doctor 07 December 2022

Surgical News:Supporting Indigenous Health Wednesday, 7 December 2022 

Reducing ethnic inequities: Patterns of asthma medication use and hospital discharges in Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand

Dr Selwyn Te Paa The Sick As Podcast (YouTube)

Profile By

23 May 2025

He Rangatira Our Leaders

Dr Hinemoa Elder FRANZCP, PhD, MNZM

Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāi Tākoto, Ngāpuhi nui tonu

She attributes her success to ‘hard work, determination, and being able to draw from her Māori heritage, synthesising meaning from an indigenous perspective’.

Lisa Cherington

Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngāpuhi

Lisa is driven by her passion for working with tamariki and rangatahi and utilising narrative therapy deriving from our mātauranga Māori knowledge base.

Dr Suzanne Pitama

Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Whare

Professor Suzanne Pitama is an esteemed educational psychologist, researcher, and leader in Māori health education. Her mahi is driven by a relentless pursuit of equity in healthcare, ensuring Māori health perspectives are embedded within medical training, research, and practice.

Shelley Campbell

Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāpuhi

MNZM