Abstract
This viewpoint reviews 150 years of teaching, research and community service at Aotearoa New Zealand's first medical school. From a shaky start just 6 years after the establishment of the University of Otago in 1869, the Otago Medical School (OMS) has established itself as a centre of excellence in health sciences teaching and research, with its staff and alumni also making significant contributions to the wider community both here in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally.