A first of its kind study has revealed poverty is still a barrier when it comes to taking up medicine for Māori, Pasifika and people from rural communities.

The research by both Otago and Auckland Universities found that while decades of effort has boosted numbers, Māori and Pasifika are still underrepresented in Aotearoa's medical schools.

One of the researchers, Professor Peter Crampton believes that is having a profoundly negative impact for those populations.

Crampton spoke to Charlotte Cook.