Always supportive and understanding.
Dr Steve Gallagher serves as Lecturer in eLearning, Senior Lecturer, and Education Adviser (eLearning Facilitator) within the Education Unit of the Dunedin School of Medicine at the University of Otago. He currently holds the positions of Co-Acting Associate Dean (Medical Education) in the Faculty of Medicine – Dunedin and Course Director for the Postgraduate Programmes in Digital Health. Gallagher possesses qualifications of BA, PGDip, and PhD. His professional responsibilities include facilitating the design and development of high-quality online and blended teaching, learning processes, and assessments, while collaborating with academic staff on innovative research initiatives. Gallagher's research primarily centers on the integration of digital technologies in learning and health contexts, with a broad emphasis on medical education. His scholarly interests encompass academic motivation among medical students, experiential learning facilitated by virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), applications of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education, and digital health interventions. He is actively expanding investigations into immersive technologies for therapeutic purposes, such as reminiscence therapy, identity preservation, and memory enhancement in health settings. Additional expertise areas include digital well-being, online interventions for well-being, learning design in medical education, and VR/AR applications.
Gallagher has published extensively in these domains. Recent works include Liu et al. (2026) "How has ChatGPT been positioned as a threat to academic integrity? A scoping review"; Collins, Paton, & Gallagher (2025) "Extended reality technologies in child health education for undergraduate healthcare students: A scoping review" published in Nurse Education in Practice; Liu et al. (2025) "Eight months into reality: A scoping review of the application of ChatGPT in higher education teaching and learning" in Innovative Higher Education; Gladman et al. (2025) "Learning approach, situational demands and mental wellbeing among medical students: A replication and extension"; and Finkler et al. (2025) "Virtual nature and well-being: Exploring the potential of 360° VR" in Applied Psychology: Health & Well-Being. Earlier contributions address topics such as mobile apps for health professions education, professionalism assessment using machine learning, and the efficacy of mindful practice in healthcare diagnosis. Gallagher's research has been cited over 1,100 times according to Google Scholar metrics, underscoring his influence in advancing digital innovations within medical education and health sciences.
