Red X iconGreen tick iconYellow tick icon

Suzanne Pitama imageDean and Head of Campus

MA(Auck) PhD(Otago) PGDipEdPsych(Massey) MNZPsS

Email suzanne.pitama@otago.ac.nz

MIHI (Māori/Indigenous Health Institute)
School of Medicine and Health Sciences,
University of Otago, Christchurch.
PO Box 4345,
Christchurch

About Suzanne Pitama (Ngāti Kahungunu)

Suzanne is a registered educational psychologist. She has extensive experience in Māori health research and health education.

Suzanne is focussed on addressing Māori health inequities through medical education, health research (including mental health and heart health) and through membership on appropriate committees and boards (including the HRC Board and Australian Medical Council).

Suzanne's PhD focused on the design, implementation and impact of indigenous health curricula within medical schools. Suzanne is the Otago Medical School Hauora Māori faculty representative and is a member of the MBChB curriculum committee and Chairs the Hauora Māori sub-committee.

Suzanne also contributes to the MIHI post-graduate short courses that support the professional development of health professionals in the Hui Process and Meihana Model.

Teaching

Undergraduate medical curriculum

Postgraduate short courses

  • MIHI RMO 301
  • MIHI 501 Clin Psych
  • MIHI 601 Clin Psych
  • MIHI 501 RANZCOG
  • MIHI 501 Health Professionals

Research interests

  • Hauora Māori – Māori Health
  • Effects of Adoption Practices on Mental Health
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Severe Behaviour in childhood and adolescence
  • MoDCONZ – Modelling disease and cancer outcomes in New Zealand

Professional activities

  • Educational Psychologist
  • Suzanne Pitama is the Haura Māori representative on the Faculty of Medicine Curriculum Committee

Publications

Pitama, S., Manuel, J., Wilkinson, T., Tweed, M., Cuddy, J., Huria, T., & Lacey, C. (2024). Ethnic bias and the hidden curriculum: The impact of routine inclusion of ethnicity in medical education assessment. Focus on Health Professional Education, 25(3), 1-15. doi: 10.11157/fohpe.v25i3.777 Journal - Research Article

Landers, A., Pitama, S. G., Green, S. C., & Beckert, L. (2024). Policy, system and service design influence on healthcare inequities for people with end-of-life chronic obstructive airways disease, their support people and health professionals. BMC Health Services Research, 24, 1190. doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-11705-6 Journal - Research Article

Meredith, C., McKerchar, C., Haitana, T., & Pitama, S. (2024). Whāia te iti kahurangi: Seeking perinatal mental health equity. Māori offer solutions for the health system. Mental Health & Prevention. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.mhp.2024.200362 Journal - Research Article

Pitama, S. (2024). Ka Pū Te Ruha, Ka Hao Te Rangatahi [Oration]. ANZ Journal of Surgery. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/ans.19219 Journal - Research Other

Woodcock, E., Pitama, S., Wilson, L., Troughton, R., & Whalley, G. (2024). Defining left ventricular geometry in a New Zealand population. Heart, Lung & Circulation, 33(Suppl. 4), 725. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2024.06.730 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Back to top