Marvin Tao’s Inspiring journey to Junior Doctor, Waikato Hospital
For many, choosing a career path is a process of trial and error, but for Dilworth Old Boy Marvin Tao (Class of 2019), there was only ever one choice: medicine.
This year, Marvin fulfilled his long-held dream, graduating with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Auckland. He also landed his first role as a House Officer (Junior Doctor) at Waikato Hospital, where he has just started work.
A Dilworth Old Boy and Staples Education Foundation (SEF) recipient, Marvin has an inspiring story of what it takes to pursue a career in medicine. This is a story of sheer hard work and perseverance, along with incredible insight on his part from an early age.
He hopes that by sharing his story, he will inspire other Dilworth students to also follow a career in medicine.
Accompanied by Karen Bennett, General Manager of SEF and Jane Haines, Corporate Account Manager, Marvin visited Dilworth at the end of last year, on the day of his graduation in December.
A Clear Motivation from the very Beginning
Marvin became fascinated with cellular biology in Year 11 at Dilworth, and he started to see what he calls the “magic of medicine” and its unique ability to help people. This drove him – in an incredible display of foresight and maturity - to think about what he wanted to achieve and how he wanted to feel when he retired:
“I wanted to have no regrets after retiring,” he explained. “I want to look back and say I did something good for the world. Looking back and saying I helped people for my whole working career—I thought medicine could help me with that.”
Another deep-seated motivation was about respect for his whānau and their history. Marvin’s parents were both doctors in Mainland China, but sadly, their medical careers had to end when they immigrated to New Zealand. Faced with the overwhelming $8,000 cost of re-certification exams, along with substantial language barriers, they had to put their careers as medical professionals on hold to support their family.
“Coming over to New Zealand, they couldn’t speak English... they didn’t have enough money. So they stopped practising,” Marvin says. “I wanted to become a doctor, kind of for them. Not like they pressured me or anything, but to honour that path.”
Six Years at Dilworth
Looking back on his time at Dilworth, Marvin says what stood out for him was the deep friendships he made “I just liked the idea of having, just being around friends the entire year, every day”. Everybody talks about the brotherhood, and I do feel it because you basically grow up with them”.
He also appreciated Dilworth’s teaching system and believed it provided students with significant support. “Just like when people are falling behind or if you need extra help with them, then I feel like the Dilworth teachers are better at helping along in those aspects,” and he also valued the opportunities the school offered him.
“So I did piano right the way through. I sort of regret quitting, but I stopped in Year 12 to concentrate on my studies. I played sports throughout. I took part in quite a few - football, tennis, hockey, and badminton as well.”
However, to get into med school, he said, by Year 13, he really had to focus on his studies.
Today, all those sacrifices feel worth it:
“It’s a relief to be finished. It's been a long six years! Looking back at the first year, when I first started, I wasn’t even sure I was going to get into medicine. And now I'm here, graduating; I'll be walking across the hall, across the stage, with a piece of paper. And so that's all worth it in the end”.
The Transition to Med School
The leap from the structured, supportive environment of Dilworth to the faster pace of life at the University of Auckland, Marvin said, was a shock to the system.
He describes the transition into a Bachelor of Health Science as going “zero to 100.” With immense pressure on in the pre-med year to earn a place in Year 2. Suddenly, the personalised guidance of secondary school was replaced by massive lecture theatres and 100-slide presentations, and you were supposed to keep up.
The global COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation. Much of Marvin’s first year was spent in lockdown, making the already competitive "pre-med" year even harder.
It was here that he says the Staples Education Foundation (SEF) scholarship he had received at the end of Year 13 at Dilworth helped him out immensely.
The Power of the SEF Network
“I believe I was incredibly fortunate,” Marvin reflects. “The scholarship gave me the tools and the motivation to put everything into achieving my dream.”
He says the SEF Buddy System was particularly vital to him during those early months. Marvin was teamed up with Dilworth Old Boy Dr Thomas Swinburn (now a Rhodes Scholar), but at that time, a senior medical student who had already overcome the same challenges Marvin was currently facing.
Thomas offered the "inside track" on how to prepare for the exams and the tough interview process, which Marvin credits with helping him to secure a highly sought-after place in the medical programme.
As his education advanced, Marvin received further support through SEF’s mentoring programme and work guidance opportunities. He was lucky to be mentored by two distinguished mentors provided by SEF: Dr Graeme Finlay and Dr Dean Singleton. Marvin noted that Dr Singleton, in particular, helped him bridge the gap between being a student and a scientist, fostering his passion for academic research and guiding him through a summer studentship.
True to the Dilworth spirit of "giving back," during his own time at the University, Marvin came full circle within the SEF programme, when he became a Buddy for Chan Lee, supporting him through his Pharmacy degree and seeing him successfully enter the workforce as a Pharmacist.
Marvin said he is grateful to the Staples Education Foundation, which provided him with significant support and guidance throughout his university years.
“They gave me the chance to have a one-day GP experience before I did my placements, which was so helpful to really see what an actual doctor does from behind the scenes”.
The Road to Junior Doctor, Waikato Hospital
During Marvin’s clinical training, he worked in various hospitals across the North Island, including the busy wards of Auckland City and North Shore Hospitals, as well as the high-pressure environment of Waikato Hospital. He has seen the reality of the profession firsthand. He also travelled to Singapore for a radiology elective to gain a global perspective on diagnostic technology.
Marvin’s sheer hard work and dedication have been rewarded with several prestigious awards, including the University of Auckland Academic Potential Scholarship, the Ella Burford Award, and NZQA Scholarships in Classical Studies and Statistics.
2026 and Beyond
Marvin is now starting his professional life as he begins his role as a House Officer (Junior Doctor) at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton.
The road ahead won’t be easy once again with 50–60-hour workweeks and rotations through Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Geriatrics, and General Medicine. However, based on his track record to date, Marvin will take this in his stride and says he is also keen to keep up his interest in medical science. He is currently debating a specialisation between Infectious Diseases and Radiology, with a firm commitment to continuing research that advances medical knowledge.
Marvin’s message to the students following in his footsteps at Dilworth is one of encouragement and not to see a career in medicine as a closed door; he commented:
“Before Thomas (Swinburn) and me, there weren't many people applying for medicine from Dilworth, but there are even more people thinking about trying to go into medicine now, and I really do encourage that, because I think it's pretty common for Dilworth boys to believe that it's not something attainable”.
His other piece of advice is to apply for the SEF: “It helps a lot, really”.
But be under no illusion, he says, “You have to be determined”