Rate My Professor John Coughlan

Dr. John Coughlan graduated from the University of Otago Medical School with an MB ChB in 1980. He subsequently earned an MBA from the University of Otago and a Master of Public Health from Harvard University, facilitated by a Harkness Fellowship from the Commonwealth Fund of New York. He began his professional career in clinical medicine, practicing until 1986. Following this, Coughlan transitioned into hospital management, where he held significant leadership positions. He served as General Manager at Christchurch Hospital and Wellington Hospital for many years. In 2001, he became General Manager of Hospital & Health Services for the Capital & Coast District Health Board, a role he maintained until mid-2004.

In 2004, Coughlan returned to clinical practice and joined Main North Road Medical Centre in Christchurch as a General Practitioner. He achieved Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners status in 2007. His special interests include minor surgery conducted at the practice, weekly visits to retirement homes Lady Isaac and Radius Hawthorne, and providing care for boarder students from St Bede’s College. Coughlan is also a trustee of the White Matter Brain Cancer Trust, established in 2016 to support brain cancer patients and their families. Since 2023, he has served as Assistant Warden at University College (Te Kāreti o Te Whare Wānaka), a residential college at the University of Otago, where he contributes to the team supporting student orientation and community life.