About me

I am a public health medicine specialist in the Western Cape Government: Health and Wellness department, supporting the Health Systems - Digital Information cluster at the National Department of Health. I qualified as a medical doctor at Stellenbosch University in 2006 and have since pursued postgraduate studies in Epidemiology and Community Health. I also serve as a senior lecturer in the Division of Health Systems and Public Health at Stellenbosch University, where I contribute to postgraduate teaching, research supervision, and curriculum development.

My academic journey includes a PhD in Public Health, where I applied Design Science Research methods to User Experience Design in Data Visualisation, a methodological approach that informs my educational practice, particularly in the integration of technology-enhanced learning and data-driven decision-making in Health Professions Education. My teaching philosophy is rooted in constructivist and experiential learning principles, emphasising meaningful reflection, problem-based learning, and the use of digital health technologies to enhance professional training in public health and clinical informatics.

I have contributed to teaching and content development in Health Systems, Health Policy Analysis, Health Information Systems, Digital Health, and Epidemiology. I have supervised postgraduate students in Health Systems & Services Research, guiding them in research that intersects with digital health, policy analysis, and health system strengthening. Additionally, I have acted as an examiner and external reviewer for various MMed and MPH dissertations.

My broader research and professional interests include health policy analysis, geographic information systems, artificial intelligence in health, cryptography for health data security, health terminological systems, interventions to support continuity of care, and Health Professions Education. Through these interests I strive to bridge public health practice with Health Professions Education, ensuring that digital health innovations translate into evidence-based teaching and learning methodologies.

Through the MPhil in Health Professions Education, I aim to further integrate my expertise in health systems, digital information, and AI-driven decision support into medical education, fostering innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning in Health Professions Education. Ultimately, my goal is to establish an academic home for Design Science Research in Digital Health, creating a foundation for advancing methodological and applied innovations in this field.