Rate My Professor Sara Filoche

Associate Professor Sara Filoche is Head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Otago Wellington, within the Faculty of Medicine and Division of Health Sciences. She holds a BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, and PGDip in General Medicine (Distinction), with a background in biomedical science. As a Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago Wellington, she contributes to teaching, research, and leadership in women's health. Her expertise spans health services, care pathways, and population health genetics and genomics, as recognized in the University of Otago media database under Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health.

Filoche's research employs an interdisciplinary approach to health services research, aiming to improve access to healthcare and reduce health inequities. She investigates clinical care pathways, patient experiences of accessing healthcare, and equitable access to genetic and genomic medicine. Additional interests include public health genetics, genomics, and science learning experiences with local kura kaupapa Māori. Key publications include 'Under the umbrella of epistemic injustice communication and epistemic injustice in clinical encounters: A critical scoping review' (Jonas et al., Ethics, Medicine & Public Health, 2025), '“Knowledge was clearly associated with education”. Epistemic positioning in the context of informed choice: A scoping review and secondary qualitative analysis' (Ireland-Blake et al., BMC Medical Ethics, 2025), '‘It's not a solution to keep telling me to lose weight!’ Exploring endometrial cancer survivors’ experiences of nutrition and well-being advice: A qualitative study' (Williams et al., Australian & New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 2025), and 'Women’s experience of participating in a storytelling intervention about abnormal uterine bleeding for medical student education' (Kanagasabai et al., Focus on Health Professional Education, 2024). She delivered a plenary presentation, 'Know your period: A co-designed consumer resource about abnormal uterine bleeding,' at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Aotearoa Annual Scientific Meeting (2025). Filoche holds leadership roles including on the Board of Studies for Biomedical Science at the University of Otago. Her earlier work includes highly cited studies on oral biofilms and antimicrobial effects, such as 'Oral biofilms: emerging concepts in microbial ecology' (Journal of Dental Research, 2010, 566 citations) and 'Antimicrobial effects of essential oils in combination with chlorhexidine digluconate' (Oral Microbiology and Immunology, 2005, 327 citations).