Rate My Professor Emily O' Regan

Dr Emily O’Regan is a Senior Professional Practice Fellow in the Centre for Rural Health, Division of Health Sciences, at the University of Otago. She holds the position of Co-ordinator for the Queenstown site of the Rural Medical Immersion Programme (RMIP), a flagship one-year clinical immersion experience for fifth-year medical students. Established in 2007, the RMIP places small groups of up to 35 students annually in nine rural communities across New Zealand’s South and lower North Islands. Participants engage in hands-on experiential learning in rural general practice and hospital settings, following patients longitudinally under the supervision of experienced general practitioners, rural hospital generalists, visiting specialists, and multidisciplinary teams. The programme prioritizes patient-centered care, substantial clinical exposure, small-group teaching, self-directed study, and interprofessional collaboration, contributing significantly to producing rural generalist doctors.

O’Regan’s clinical background enriches her educational contributions. She earned her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB BS) from the University of Wollongong, Australia, in 2013, followed by general practice training in New Zealand. She attained Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (FRNZCGP) in 2020 and has been vocationally registered as a general practitioner since 17 February 2016. With more than five years of practice in rural general practice in Central Otago, she applies her expertise in child health and allergic diseases—fields bolstered by her postgraduate qualifications—to mentor students in authentic rural contexts. The Centre for Rural Health advances rural healthcare through teaching excellence, research, postgraduate programmes, continuing medical education, and community engagement across New Zealand and the South Pacific, with O’Regan’s coordination role supporting these objectives by preparing students for rural practice challenges.