A son of Samoa from Lano and Fatausi, Savai'i has graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the Otago University in New Zealand. 

The graduation last week culminated eight challenging years of studies for the 26-year-old Tuiala Si'u Malu, who dedicated his achievement to his late grandfather Rev. Potoa’e Tuvaifale. 

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Mr. Malu said he was raised by his grandparents, Reverend Potoa'e and Pouiva Tuvaifale since he was a baby. 

"He was my inspiration growing up and he was a big believer on having a proper education," Mr. Malu said. 

"I remember back in my childhood days when serving food at home, while I wait with a bowl of water for my grandparents to wash their hands with after a meal, he will always say 'A e fia ai pisupo ma e fia ai mea lelei, koaga e fai muamua le aoga oga e fiu a lea e fai ou magaoga' (If you want to eat corned beef, make education your priority and study hard then you can do whatever you want). 

"This always resonates with me whenever I think of him and the humble beginnings growing up in my family."

Asked how he felt having achieved his dream of becoming a doctor, he said he was very "proud and grateful" to officially cross the finish line and close an important chapter of his academic journey. 

A chapter which he says started in his younger years growing up in Savai'i. 

"It started from my primary school years in Safotulafai Primary School, [then] I went to Samoa College for a year and then spent another three years at Amoa College before moving to New Zealand," he said.

"You see, I want the people of Samoa to understand that the education that I received in Savai'i has equipped me well for my journey into university and Medical School."

In saying that Mr. Malu said he is happy to finally achieved a life-long dream, which was sparked while taking care of his grandfather.

"From a very young age, I became one of the main caregivers for my late grandfather," he told the Samoa Observer. 

"One of the responsibilities in this role was attending his medical appointments and making sure he was taking the right medications at the specified intervals. Sometimes were great some weren’t so great. 

"There were moments when we were at home where my grandfather will be complaining about taking so many different medications (like 7 tablets 3x daily). 

"He would always asked why he was taking some of the medications and his questions would always challenge me because not only I did not know the answer, but my family were also unsure, so we just responded with, 'the doctor recommended that it helps with your health'. 

"I feel like this is a very common problem among many of our Samoan people which is something I am passionate to act on, and hoping to increase health literacy in our country.

 "To become a medical doctor originally started when I was in year 11 at Amoa College. I became very good at the science subjects and enjoyed it along with Mathematics and English. 

"At the time there were no nurses or any health professionals within my extended family so this motivated me to pursue a career in health."

Mr. Malu summed up his eight-year journey at medical school as one of "perseverance".

"My journey had many challenges and failures along the way, but honestly it was those setbacks that have made it more purposeful. 

"Being the first member of my family to navigate tertiary education in New Zealand was challenging in the sense that there was less guidance on what to expect while at university. 

"However, I didn’t let it stand in my way of pursuing my dream and I kept going no matter how lonely the journey felt sometimes. My strong faith on God and my family were the main aspects of my life that motivated me to push through every step of the way."

And the journey also had its obstacles which Mr Malu had to overcome while studying in New Zealand. 

"Being away from home has always been a challenge from the beginning since I don’t have family here in Dunedin, New Zealand. 

"I have missed multiple family birthdays and events, Mother’s Day and White Sundays are definitely the public holidays that always make me feel homesick while away from home. Cultural shock was one challenge I found when I first moved here. 

"Dunedin is much colder, and it snows here in the winter months. There are not many Pacific Islanders here compared to other big cities such as Auckland but most importantly I missed our Samoan cuisine. 

"I feel like it is much better nowadays with the increase number of Pacific students attending university as well as the many support groups from the Pacific community in Dunedin."

Looking ahead, Mr. Malu said his long-term goal is to return home and give back to the people of Samoa. 

"The long-term goal is to ultimately come back to Samoa and serve our people, but for now, I want to complete my full training here in New Zealand and become a qualified specialist which will enable me to do more for the people of Samoa."

Mr. Malu also used the opportunity to send an inspirational message to the children of Samoa, urging them to put their faith in God and to believe in oneself.

"Believe in yourself and chase whatever dream you are wanting to accomplish, don’t compare yourself to others because your uniqueness makes you different from everyone else in this world," he said.

"If this boy from Savaii can achieve and live his dream, you can do it too!"