Rate My Professor Bryony Simcock

Dr Bryony Simcock, BSc MB BS (Lond), MRCOG, FRANZCOG, CGO, is a Senior Research Fellow and Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch. She earned her medical degree from the University of London and completed her basic training in obstetrics and gynaecology in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. She further specialized in gynaecological oncology through training at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia, and in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Since 2007, Dr Simcock has worked as a consultant gynaecological oncologist at Christchurch Women’s Hospital, holding a combined clinical and academic appointment at the University of Otago. In her current roles, she serves as the Clinical Director of the South Island and Wellington Regional Gynaecological Cancer Service and as an examiner for the Certificate in Gynaecological Oncology (CGO) subspecialty examinations. She is also a founding member of the Graci Foundation, a gynaecological cancer research trust, and participates in numerous research programs focused on women with gynaecological cancers and pre-cancers.

Dr Simcock's academic interests centre on gynaecological oncology, with particular emphasis on endometrial cancer, including its rising incidence in Aotearoa New Zealand and survivors' experiences with nutrition and well-being advice. Her research also explores national patterns of care, strategies to enhance quality of life through improved anticoagulation and wound management, the effects of cancers on patients' lived experiences, and the potential for prevention through understanding aetiology. Incorporating te ao Māori perspectives has enriched her research approach. Notable publications include 'Increasing incidence of endometrial cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand: Health professionals' perspective' (Williams et al., 2024, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology), ''It's not a solution to keep telling me to lose weight!' Exploring endometrial cancer survivors’ experiences of nutrition and well-being advice' (Williams et al., 2025, same journal), 'Realising the promise of HPV vaccination: Data from the national cervical screening and vaccination registers' (Sykes et al., 2025, Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand), 'Let's use an equity framework to improve research, its design, implementation, and community' (Te Whaiti et al., 2025, International Journal of Gynecological Cancer), and contributions to major studies such as 'Laparoscopic vs Abdominal Hysterectomy for Stage I Endometrial Cancer' (Janda et al., 2017, JAMA). Through her clinical leadership and scholarly output, Dr Simcock significantly impacts the field of gynaecological oncology in New Zealand.