Rate My Professor Coleen Caldwell

Dr. Coleen Caldwell serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Otago's Christchurch campus, part of the Faculty of Medicine within the Health Sciences Division. Originally from Northern Ireland, she obtained her MBChB degree from the University of Dundee in Scotland and relocated to New Zealand in 2008. Joining the university in 2017, Caldwell holds a clinical position as a medical officer at Christchurch Women’s Hospital, specializing in sexual and reproductive healthcare. She is responsible for convening the fifth-year medical students' Obstetrics and Gynaecology module and contributes significantly to postgraduate education through the Diploma of Obstetrics and Medical Gynaecology program. Her commitment to medical education underscores her professional focus.

Caldwell's research specializations encompass improving equitable access to high-quality reproductive health services, with a particular emphasis on abortion care. Her work includes investigations into the provision of second trimester abortion services, patients' experiences of abortion care in Aotearoa—especially for wāhine Māori—and the stigma faced by both patients and providers. Key publications include the journal articles "Leaps ahead in law but not in practice: Why we need to train in second trimester abortion care" (Hudspith et al., 2022, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology) and "Willing but not able: A survey of New Zealand health practitioners' interests in providing second trimester abortion care and the obstacles they face" (Whiting et al., 2022, same journal), as well as the book chapter "Interprofessional Education for Medical and Midwifery Students in Aotearoa New Zealand" (Daellenbach et al., 2023). She delivered a verbal presentation titled "Teamwork makes the dream work: Establishing an abortion service in a rural setting" at the 2025 RANZCOG Aotearoa Annual Scientific Meeting. Furthermore, Caldwell has chaired the Abortion Providers Group Aotearoa New Zealand (APGANZ), driving national advocacy and professional development to enhance abortion services. She also serves on the board of the New Zealand College of Sexual and Reproductive Health, aiding in policy development, standards setting, and creation of educational resources for abortion care and long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).