Meet Dr John Nuukai Ward: A specialist Sport and Exercise Physician
Dr John Nuukai Ward is a specialist sport and exercise physician who works with elite athletes in Australia. He is also dedicated to improving health services for Pacific and Indigenous communities in Queensland.
Growing up in the Far North, sport and the outdoors were just a normal part of life for Dr John Nuukai Ward. Living near the beach in Kaitaia meant his childhood was filled with days spent fishing, diving and playing rugby.
Now, John works with elite athletes in Australia as a specialist sport and exercise physician.
“I think my upbringing in rural New Zealand has shaped my personality,” says John. “Having family members in less fortunate situations and with poor health outcomes has driven me to want to make an impact.”
After finishing his medical degree (MBChB) at the University of Auckland in 2013, John worked at hospitals across Auckland and Queensland before transitioning to general practice medicine. In 2019, he completed a fellowship with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. His career as a sports physician began when he became the head doctor of the Burleigh Bears Rugby League Club in 2019, and then chief medical officer of the Gold Coast Titans.
Reflecting on his career so far, John says his time at the University of Auckland, which he attended with the support of a Chancellor's Award for Top Māori and Pacific Scholars, was crucial for his future success.
“I learnt so much from my studies there and made lifelong friends,” he says. “I am very thankful to the University of Auckland for giving me an opportunity, from a small rural town, to succeed and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their help and guidance on this journey.”
John is also quick to list a number of mentors, including Dr Lance O’Sullivan, Dr Mataroria Lyndon and his brother, Dr Luke Ward, who “provided a pathway for me to follow and realise it was possible”.
As the current chief medical officer for Surfing Australia, John covered the 2024 Paris Olympics in Teahupo‘o, Tahiti. He is also the chief medical officer for the Dolphins NRL team and doctor for the Toa Samoa rugby league team, in addition to being the Gold Coast doctor for swimmers at the Queensland Academy of Sport. He has also previously worked with the NRL Māori All Stars, as well as State of Origin and in the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII camps in Papua New Guinea.
One of his proudest professional achievements was passing his exams to become a specialist sport and exercise physician, and being awarded the College Medal from the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians for achieving the highest exam results across Australia and New Zealand.
His journey hasn’t been without its challenges, though, and John credits his religious background for helping him stay grounded.
“We all face setbacks at different times in our lives,” he says. “The more I have accepted these setbacks and acknowledged them as opportunities to learn and grow, the more resilient I’ve become.”
John, who is of Samoan background and grew up in a predominantly Māori community, also has a strong commitment to helping Pacific and Indigenous populations. Following the recent completion of his specialty training, he is now planning on working with Pacific and Indigenous health clinics in South East Queensland.
“My goal is to make a difference in communities that are less fortunate. I am now in a position of privilege and want to give back to these people,” he says.
After having spent a decade in Australia, John says New Zealand, and the Far North in particular, is never far from his mind.
“I was given advice when I was training at Kaitaia Hospital to go out and succeed in the world and then bring the knowledge and skills home. This is something my wife and I are planning in the future, when the time is right.”
