Rate My Professor Nina Stupples

Dr Nina Stupples is a Senior Professional Practice Fellow in the Centre for Rural Health at the University of Otago, part of the Faculty of Medicine in the Health Sciences Division. Based at Buller Health in Westport, West Coast, New Zealand, she has provided dedicated general practice and rural hospital medicine services to her community for 13 years as of 2022. As a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (FRNZCGP), she ensures patients receive consistent, high-quality care and access to specialized services in a remote setting.

In addition to her clinical duties, Dr Stupples contributes significantly to medical education as Paper Co-convener for GENA 726: Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Paediatrics in Rural Settings, within the University of Otago's Rural Postgraduate Programme. This distance learning paper combines remote and in-person teaching at Buller Health, where she draws on her frontline experience to educate postgraduate students. She has mentored numerous registrars alongside her daily practice, supporting professional development in rural healthcare.

Dr Stupples served as Chair of the Rural Hospital Division of the RNZCGP from 2010 until 2014, during which she was instrumental in developing Rural Hospital Medicine in New Zealand. Her dedication to rural health was recognised with the Eric Elder Medal awarded by the RNZCGP in 2022. This award honours Dr Eric Elder, the grandfather of vocational training in New Zealand general practice, and acknowledges her profound impact on the profession through leadership, mentorship, teaching, and clinical service. New Zealand rural health has benefited greatly from her hard work.