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In 2021, while working for New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa, journalist Zahra Shahtahmasebi won a national health journalism scholarship to look at the challenges facing rural health. Last week she travelled to the Cook Islands to get started
Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa
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Otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeon Francis T. Hall discusses the evaluation of thyroid nodules, which primarily aims to determine the likelihood of malignancy. He then reviews the treatment of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, including recent advances in management
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![Golden Bay dairy farmer and dairy industry health and safety doctoral student Deborah Rhodes, and Golden Bay Community Health specialist GP Rachael Cowie [Image: NZD]](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_cropped_100/public/2025-05/4.%20Deborah%20Rhodes%20and%20Rachael%20Cowie.jpg?itok=oM0_GcJc)
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![Spark Health chief executive John Macaskill-Smith and client director Bryan Bunz [Image: NZD]](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_cropped_100/public/2025-05/6.%20John%20Macaskill-Smith%20and%20Bryan%20Bunz.jpg?itok=5yJvVZ0I)
![Associate dean (rural) Kyle Eggleton, third-year medical student Roselle Winter, and second-year pharmacy student Alina Khanal, all from the University of Auckland [Image: NZD]](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_cropped_100/public/2025-05/7.%20Kyle%20Eggleton%2C%20Roselle%20Winter%20and%20Alina%20Khanal.jpg?itok=RQLd3TEs)
![Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora clinical editor and specialist in general practice and rural hospital medicine Anu Shinnamon, and Whakarongorau chief clinical officer Ruth Large [Image: NZD]](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_cropped_100/public/2025-05/8.%20Anu%20Shinnamon%20and%20Ruth%20Large.jpg?itok=i5TMswY9)
![Te Kahu Hauora Practice specialist GP Jane Laver and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua chief operations manager Tania Chamberlain [Image: NZD]](/sites/default/files/styles/thumbnail_cropped_100/public/2025-05/9.%20Jane%20Laver%20and%20Tania%20Chamberlain.jpg?itok=jtMklaCZ)
