US husband and wife duo join Te Whatu Ora Taranaki ENT team

12 December 2023

It’s almost a ‘two for one deal’ now that Te Whatu Ora Taranaki has managed to successfully recruit a husband-and-wife Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon and nurse team from America.

Coming to Taranaki from Florida, Dr Michael Randall, and wife Kaleigh Irish decided to apply for the Taranaki locum position as “an amazing opportunity to live in another part of the world while we worked”.

“We have no children, no commitments, and we were eager to travel and explore, so the Taranaki opening was a great fit for us,” says Dr Randall.

“We love hiking, so we have had some nice hikes around the mountain, and we are eager to explore the South Island too.”

With a background in Otolaryngology (ENT speciality area) Head and Neck Surgery, Dr Randall has also completed an additional fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.

“I cover a wide breadth of common ENT procedures as well as head and neck cancer, sinus surgery, amongst others. My additional training has allowed me to become a specialist in nasal obstruction and rhinoplasty, as well as skin cancer reconstruction of the face.”

Dr Randall met his wife Kaleigh, who also has a background in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, while practising in America - and the couple are now currently working alongside each other in the Taranaki Base Hospital ENT clinic.

The pair have locum positions at the hospital until September next year and during that time are expecting their first baby in May next year, says Kaleigh.

“This is our first time in New Zealand, and things are much more laid back than in the US,” says Kaleigh.

“Everyone is genuine and very friendly. They go out of their way to give you their time.

“We are still missing some of our guilty pleasures like next day delivery with Amazon Prime, and our fast-food favourites like Chipotle, but it has been a nice change of pace so far.”

Last updated: Monday, December 18, 2023