Where are they now?

It’s always exciting to learn about what happened to past students and both Meletta’s and Amber-Janes stories show that an Ōtūmoetai College education provides an important grounding for future endeavours.

Meletta Chow (Yung)

What year did you graduate from Ōtūmoetai College?

2008

Current job title / role?

Dentist

How long have you been in this role?

5 years. I am currently working at Tooth Fairy Dental in Bethlehem and Mount Maunganui. Prior to this I worked in Balclutha, a small town in the deep South.

What is a lasting memory you have from your time at Ōtūmoetai College?

My time on the student executive was pretty memorable. To earn the respect to hold that role in my final year and give back to the school community was rewarding.

What was your most valuable life lesson learnt during your college years

Challenge yourself and have fun.

How well did you feel Ōtūmoetai College prepared you for tertiary study / the workforce?

There is so much more I got out of high school than just academic preparedness. I was involved in the school magazine Trek from year 10 and played Netball the whole way through. This helped me with independence, accountability, time management and communication.

Did you know what you wanted to do when you left college?

Yes, but if you don’t know what you want to do right now that’s ok! I was able to take the required subjects and having an end goal kept me motivated . If you’re undecided, keep a broad range of subjects to keep your options open. If there’s a certain career you might interested in have a chat to someone in that industry or ask to observe them.

Why did you pursue your current area of work?

I wanted a challenging hands on job where I could make a real difference in people’s lives. Oral Health is incredibly important. It affects overall health and well being, self esteem and confidence. But

too many people neglect going to the dentist out of fear or anxiety. I’m in a perfect position to change that mindset and make a positive difference. I love my job and am particularly enjoy chatting with current

Otumoetai College students when they come in for their yearly check ups.

How did you get into the field you are now currently working in?

I gained NCEA level 3 and University Entrance with the subjects of Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Calculus and Statistics. I then moved down to Dunedin to study Health Sciences at University of Otago. I completed a Bachelor of Science and gained entry to the dentistry course via the post graduate pathway. The year I got into dentistry there were only 54 spots for domestic students for the whole of NZ. Seven years later I graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery and became a fully qualified dentist. I am constantly learning and staying unto date with the latest materials and techniques. I lost count of the number of webinars I did over lockdown.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Take mock exams more seriously. It would have made final exam study much easier. At university you can’t afford to leave anything till the last minute.

What is one piece of advice you would give to current Ōtūmoetai College students?

Brush your teeth twice a day! …Take every opportunity that comes your way. Give your best at everything but also make time for yourself. It’s all about that work life balance. Put the work in and you will reap the rewards. Do the Mahi, get the treats.

Amber-Jane Wood

What year did you graduate from Ōtūmoetai College?

2008

Current job title / role?

Doctor - medical registrar at Christchurch Hospital.

How long have you been in this role?

Four years. I rotate around internal medicine specialties approximately every four months and am currently on a Cardiology rotation. I hope to start Nephrology/General Medicine advanced training towards the end of next year.

What is a lasting memory you have from your time at Ōtūmoetai College?

Some of my best memories looking back are from my time spent rowing - there was a real comradery amongst the crew and it taught me discipline and perseverance which I am grateful for still to this very day when working long hours at work.

What was your most valuable life lesson learnt during your college years:

Support and encourage each other. You never know who may be going through a difficult time but being there for someone may make the world of difference in their day.

How well did you feel Ōtūmoetai College prepared you for tertiary study / the workforce?

My teachers were always very encouraging of me and I think this helped knowing I had people who backed me from my college years when heading off to be more independent with university life.

Did you know what you wanted to do when you left college?

Not entirely would be the bottom line! I knew I wanted to do something health related and work with people to make them feel better but wasn’t entirely sure what that would pan out to be.

Why did you pursue your current area of work?

I really enjoyed the Human Body Systems papers in my first year of university so decided to pursue these a bit further with my anatomy degree initially.

How did you get into the field you are now currently working in?

I completed Health Science First Year at the University of Otago and then went on to complete a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Anatomy). I entered Medical School through the postgraduate entry scheme with study years spent in Dunedin, Wellington and Palmerston N o r t h , graduating with my Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 2016.

If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have tried to figure out my individual learning style earlier on, prior to being inundated with new information at university. It took awhile to figure out I was a visual learner so everything is mind maps now, but I never realised that at college.

What is one piece of advice you would give to current Ōtūmoetai College students?

Enjoy your college years, look after and support one another and don’t forget to celebrate your own and other’s achievements. College is not the bee all and end all - it really is just the start!