First family in medicine
The Noovao clan keeps on achieving

If all the three Noovao children who followed their father into medicine returned home to Rarotonga, the Cook Islands would be blessed not just with three surgical specialists, but six. That’s because the Noovao children all married, yes, Doctors who are specialists in their surgical fields.
Dr Teariki Noovao is proud of all three and the latest to achieve distinction is Dion Noovao.
Speaking to the Herald on Monday morning, Dr Noovao said Dion has achieved a first for the Cook Islands in being made a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in the specialist area of Orthopedics. Three other Cook Islanders have been made Fellows including George Ngaei (General Surgery) and Kiki Maoate (Urology and Pediatrics surgery).
The Fellowship exams were actually held in Wellington, NZ and Melbourne Australia back in May 2011. Dion was one of 13 who passed in Orthopedic Surgery.
Dion, who graduated from Auckland University Medical School, is employed as a Consultant at Waikato Hospital. The Fellowship is the culmination of eight years study. Dr Noovao said Dion is looking to go to Australia next for a post fellowship attachment. Dion is married to Rachael, who is a Pediatrician.
Amanda Noovao is a Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Fiji Hospital in Suva.
Fiona Noovao is a Surgical Registrar at Auckland Hospital. Her Husband is a Radiology Specialist. -Charles Pitt

Herald Issue 554 09 March
- Norm exposes Trio of Doom
- Briefs from PM’s media conference Tuesday
- Tourism Industry ponders $5 million draft strategy
- Norman George resigns from Cook Islands Party
- Letter of Resignation from CIP
- Norman selfish says Prime Minister