Rate My Professor Rachael Cowie

Dr Rachael Cowie is the Regional Co-ordinator for Golden Bay in the Rural Medical Immersion Programme (RMIP) at the Centre for Rural Health, University of Otago. The RMIP provides University of Otago medical students with extended placements in rural communities to gain practical experience in rural generalist medicine, addressing the unique challenges of healthcare delivery in remote areas. The Centre for Rural Health functions as a virtual centre within the University of Otago, dedicated to advancing rural health through teaching excellence, research, and community engagement to improve outcomes for rural and remote populations in New Zealand and the South Pacific. It encompasses programmes such as the Rural Postgraduate Programme, Continuing Medical Education, Clinician-Performed Ultrasound training, and the Rural Health Research Network. In her position under the Health Sciences division in Dunedin, Dr Cowie manages the Golden Bay teaching centre, supporting student immersion and coordinating activities in this Tasman region location. A graduate of the University of Otago Medical School, she has maintained a strong focus on rural health throughout her career, completing the rural emergency programme with service in rural hospitals in Southland and Central Otago, followed by general practice training in the United Kingdom. She currently works as a Rural Hospital Doctor and General Practitioner in Golden Bay, integrating clinical practice with educational coordination.

As a fourth-year medical student at the University of Otago Wellington Department of Public Health, Rachael Cowie contributed to innovative research on public health education methods. She co-authored 'Movies for use in public health training: A pilot method for movie selection and initial results' (2010, New Zealand Medical Journal), 'A pilot study of medical student attitudes to, and use of, commercial movies that address public health issues' (2011, BMC Research Notes), 'Movies with public health themes at a medical school library: Interest and uptake' (2011), and related letters to editors. These publications evaluated the effectiveness and student reception of feature-length commercial films as teaching tools for public health topics in medical curricula. Her student profile highlighted particular interests in medical anthropology and human rights. Through her ongoing involvement in the RMIP, Dr Cowie plays a vital role in shaping the next generation of rural healthcare providers, bridging her clinical expertise with medical education in underserved communities.