Having completed his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Auckland in 2019, Lachie is now working to specialise in anaesthetics.

The road hasn’t always been smooth. Initially, Lachie was unsuccessful in making it to the second year of medical school.

“I didn’t make study a priority, and medicine isn’t the type of industry where you can afford to not make it a priority,” Lachie recalls. “I completed a Science degree and tried again as a postgraduate with a far different approach because I knew I wanted to secure my second-year place. You have to find the right balance which works for you.”

After successfully completing his training placements in Hamilton, Tauranga, Whakatane and Rotorua, Lachie started work at Rotorua Hospital as a junior doctor. After completing three years there, he then moved to Australia, where he spent 18 months at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Since then, he has moved back to Rotorua and plans to move to Waikato Hospital next year for training.  

“The beauty of this process is that junior doctors get an opportunity to work within multiple medical fields and then decide which training scheme to apply for. I’ve spent the majority of my years in the Emergency Department but am really excited to be taking up anaesthetics,” says Lachie.

He acknowledges that being involved in people's most intimate moments has its major pros and cons. “For example, providing spinal anaesthesia for a woman about to have a cesarean section is a really special occasion.” Equally, being a part of the more complex aspects of health care such as death and breaking bad news can be incredibly difficult and grounding. It’s about finding the right balance between being a healthcare professional, whilst also being empathetic and genuine.

Despite the relentless hours that come with the profession, Lachie loves how his collective of junior doctors is made up of young colleagues with similar goals, aspirations, and interests.

Reflecting on his years at St Paul’s Collegiate School, Lachie is very fond of his cohort and describes his peers as ‘high achievers.’ One of his favourite things about St Paul’s was the celebration of academics and achievements. When catching up with school friends he still struggles to not talk about Tihoi Venture School.

“People like Mr Coley, Mr Bell, and Dr McGrath were so passionate and motivated about us succeeding. If we showed an interest in a subject or career path, they would help us grow that.”

Outside of medicine, Lachie has been a keen rugby player but has recently taken up mountain biking and golf. His wife, Raewyn, is currently completing her Emergency Medicine training, and the pair share their charismatic rescue dog Leonard together. We wish Lachie all the best as his anaesthetic journey continues to unfold.