HSFY OIA Response 24 August.pdf

24 August 2021
By email: [FYI request #16140 email]

Dear Alex

We refer to your request under the Official Information Act dated 20 July 2021 in relation to
academic workshops for Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) students run by the Māori Centre as well
as general questions about entry for the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and Medicine (MB ChB)
programmes for HSFY. We respond to each of the parts of your information request below.

1.  Is the Māori Centre funded by the University? If so, how much funding are they
al ocated each year?
The Māori Centre is funded by the University. The Māori Centre was al ocated $614,000.00 in
funding this year.

2.  Are these workshops run by university employed staff?
Yes.

3.  Are the resources available to students invited to attend these workshops equal y
available to other non-special pathway HSFY students? If not, why not?
The resources made available to students who participate in the Māori Centre tutorials for HSFY
students are only made available to those students who register with the Māori Centre’s tutorial
programme. This is similar to tutorial programmes run by other areas of the University e.g. Disability
Information & Support, Residential Col eges, Student Learning Development. It is worth noting that
HSFY has a number of tutorial and workshop options to support students in their studies, including
the tutorials offered through the services listed above, as well as open office hours where students
can seek out the help they need when they need it.

4.  Would you be able to provide a detailed list of al  the resources shared in the Māori
Centre to HSFY students?
This is not straightforward because of the way sessions are structured. The Māori Centre organises
weekly tutorials in respect of all HSFY papers, based on the core concepts from the lecture content:

Semester One:
•  Cell and Molecular Biology
•  The Chemical Basis of Biology and Human Health
•  Human Body Systems 1
•  Biological Physics

Semester Two:
•  Foundations of Biochemistry
•  Human Body Systems 2
•  Population Health

The tutorials run by the Māori Centre do not provide students with any special insight into the HSFY
papers or extra material, but rather an environment in which they feel more comfortable to study
and work in. Handouts/worksheets and sometimes power-point slides are prepared by tutors and
then provided to students on a weekly basis. To col ate a detailed list of each of these
handouts/worksheets would require our staff to undertake substantial collation and research –
given that it covers 2 semesters of weekly tutorials for 7 papers across multiple tutorial streams.
Accordingly, we refuse to provide the requested information for this part of your request pursuant
to section 18(f) of the Act on the basis that the information requested cannot be made available
without substantial collation or research.  However, as above we can confirm that the material
essential y addresses core concepts from the lecture content of the papers listed above.

5.  Are there any course coordinators, exam writers and/or lecturers of current (both
semester 1 and 2) subjects involved in the workshops run by the Māori Centre?
Yes.

6.  What were the 2019 and 2020 UCAT thresholds for Māori and Pasifika students for
entry into medicine and dentistry. How does this compare to thresholds for non-
special pathway general entry students aiming for medicine and dentistry?
The UCAT selection criteria for the MB ChB programme is set annual y by the University’s Medical
Admissions Committee. Assessment of personal suitability is assessed differently across some
categories and sub-categories. For entry into the 2020 and 2021 MB ChB programme, UCAT scores
(2019 and 2020 UCAT thresholds) were not used for sub-categories other than the General and Rural
sub-categories in the HSFY admission category.
For the General and Rural sub-categories via HSFY, the 2019 and 2020 UCAT threshold for entry into
the MB ChB programme for 2020 and 2021, respectively, used 2 sections of the UCAT test:
-  Verbal Reasoning – 20th Percentile and above
-  Situational Judgement – 10th Percentile and above
-  No threshold was set for the Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning or Abstract Reasoning
sections

The UCAT selection criteria for the BDS programme is set annual y by the University’s Dental
Admissions Committee. For entry into the 2020 and 2021 BDS programme, the UCAT threshold
(2019 and 2020 UCAT thresholds) was the same for all BDS sub-category applicants. The 2019 and
2020 UCAT thresholds for admission into the BDS programme for 2020 and 2021, respectively, used
3 sections of the UCAT test:
-  Verbal Reasoning – 20th Percentile and above
-  Situational Judgement – 10th Percentile and above
-  Decision Making – 57th Percentile and above
-  No threshold was set for the Quantitative Reasoning for Abstract Reasoning section

7.  What were the 2019 and 2020 GPA requirements for Māori and Pasifika students for
entry into medicine and dentistry. How does this compare to GPA requirements for
non-special pathway general entry students aiming for medicine and dentistry?
All students, including Māori and Pacific students, are required to meet minimum academic
standards for admission to the MB ChB or BDS programmes, as detailed in the relevant Programme
Regulations.
Please note that for HSFY, academic scores are used instead of GPA scores.

8.  How many HSFY Māori and Pasifika students were successful in entering medicine and
dentistry in 2019 and 2020? How does this compare to the number of non-special
pathway general entry students who were admitted from HSFY?
Please note that we have interpreted your request to mean the number of students admitted under
the Māori admission sub-category and the New Zealand Resident Indigenous Pacific Origins
admission sub-category.
Please find below a table of the number of students who were successful in entering the 2019 and
2020 MB ChB and BDS programmes for HSFY via the Māori, New Zealand Resident Indigenous Pacific
Origins and General admission sub-categories. Please note that students may apply under multiple
sub-categories.

Admitted
Programme  Admission
Admission Sub-
2019  2020
Category
Category
MB ChB
HSFY
Māori
42
55

Pacific
19
19

General
97
82
BDS
HSFY
Māori
7
9

Pacific
4
1

General
30
30

9. How many HSFY Māori and Pasifika students passed the minimum grade to enter
medicine and dentistry in 2019 and 2020? What was this minimum grade?
Please find below a table of the minimum academic scores to receive an offer for 2019 and 2020
entry into the MB ChB and BDS programmes for HSFY via the Māori and New Zealand Resident
Indigenous Pacific Origins admission sub-categories, fol owed by the number of applicants who
achieved this minimum score or above. Please note that not al eligible applicants who were above
the minimum scores will have accepted their offers – e.g. they may have elected to study a different
course or at a different institution.
As mentioned above, please note that for HSFY, GPA scores are not used.

Minimum Academic Score (number of
applicants above score)

2019
2020
Medicine (Māori sub-category via HSFY)
68.14 (48)
66.71 (60)
Medicine (Pacific Origins sub-category via HSFY)
65.86 (24)
66.00 (24)
Dentistry (Māori sub-category via HSFY)
68.29 (26)
67.43 (25)
Dentistry (Pacific Origins sub-category via HSFY)
70.57 (13)
66.00 (11)

We trust that you will find this information helpful.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your information request, section 28(3) provides you
with the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate and review this response. However, we would
welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you first.

Yours sincerely

Kelsey Kennard
Official Information and Compliance Coordination
Office of the Registrar