Dr Vadei says that it is a relief to wake up in the mornings and not have the pressure of his Fellowship weighing on him.  

“To have crossed that line is a magnificent feeling. I moved from Fiji, leaving my parents there to come to New Zealand and study medicine.  

"Now having gained a Fellowship as a GP, everything feels officially certified and complete. It is a remarkable feeling to be in this position right now." 

Dr Vadei is enjoying the post-Fellowship lull, as he describes it, and will continue to serve at EPC. He feels a growing urge to build on his recent achievement.  

 “My mind is wanting to do something more to keep going. Eventually I’d like to look at training in teaching roles in the near future for GP Trainees and Medical Students coming through the practice, as well as continuing to contribute to the service we provide for our people.  

 "We currently don’t have any Pacific GP Examiners at the College, which is something I would like to also work towards for the coming years.” 

 Dr Vadei is immensely grateful and acknowledges the journey would not be as triumphant if it weren’t for some key people in his life. 

"I’d like to acknowledge my lovely wife, Laisani, who has been by my side through the thick and thin of my career, for her tolerance and for being there for me through my journey. She has had to put her career development on hold to care for our children, whilst I continued to try and find my niche in Medicine. 

"I brought her with me from Fiji when the family moved to NZ, and she has been here beside me ever since." 

He also expressed gratitude to EPC and PMAG.  

“I also must thank the CEO, Debbie Sorensen, and the Boards at PMA and Etu, for trusting me to be part of their service here at Etu Pasifika Canterbury and for providing support to me and my family. 

"I still remember that phone call in 2017 when I was working as a Registrar at the Public Hospital, where I was told, 'you have a job waiting for you here at Etu Pasifika in Christchurch'. The rest is history. It is only right that I say Thank You and Vinaka Vakalevu from myself and my small family.” 

To conclude, Dr Vadei dedicates his Fellowship to his late mother who passed away from a sudden heart attack two weeks after he passed his RNZCGP Fellowship. 

“I dedicate my Fellowship to my mother, Mrs Mere Vadei, who had inspired me from a young age to become a doctor so I can serve our people. 

"We were blessed to have been able to catch up in Auckland on the evening of the day I passed my final Fellowship Assessment. I was able to relay to her the good news that her dreams for her son had come to fruition. We shared tears of joy. 

 "I was formally awarded my Fellowship from the College a fortnight later, right on the date she passed away 09 July 2024. For me it is an achievement in her memory." 

 We congratulate Dr Vadei and his family on his momentous achievement and look forward to following his journey. Vinaka Vakalevu.