Wei Tian Teo | Ralph and Eve Seelye Trust

Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery, Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours)

I had always wanted to become a doctor; having spent my formative years in Malaysia with my aunt. My aunt suffered from severe cerebral palsy, never being able to walk or talk. Yet, it didn’t stop us from growing close. 

As I grew older, our playtime transformed: from performing silly dances to make her giggle - to holding her hand as her nasogastric tubes were replaced. I still remember eagerly accompanying her each time she was hospitalized, hoping to see the doctors work their miracles. Instead, we were met with the harsh reality of resource constraints in a rural district: crowded wards, crumbling buildings, and overworked doctors. 

This was my first encounter with medical inequity - and it wasn’t my last. 

Since then, I have been passionate about dismantling inequities piece-by-piece; whether through my charity work, or my honours research - which focuses on building an open-source anatomical atlas from radiologic data. With the potential to replace traditional cadaveric dissections, this Atlas could make medical education and clinical outcomes more equitable by enhancing the accessibility, cultural safety and quality of medical education and clinical training.

Sponsor: Ralph and Eve Seelye Trust

Mentor: Dr Laura Chapman

Chief Medical Officer at Health New Zealand | Waitematā, with extensive experience in clinical leadership and health system governance. Dr Chapman has worked across medicine, policy, and executive leadership, supporting high‑quality and equitable health outcomes. She mentors Kupe Scholars with a focus on leadership in complex public systems.