Rate My Professor Simone Hart

Dr. Simone Hart, MBChB (University of Otago, 1992), FRNZCGP (2010), is a vocationally registered General Practitioner at Student Health Services, University of Otago, where she joined the team in 2026. Prior to this appointment, she spent 25 years in general practice, including from 2004 at Queenstown Medical Centre in Queenstown, New Zealand. Registered as a medical practitioner on 11 January 1996, Hart brings extensive experience in primary care to her role supporting the health needs of university students in Dunedin. Her professional interests encompass emergency medicine, sexual health, and women’s health, areas in which she has practiced throughout her career.

Hart graduated with her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Otago in 1992, establishing her foundational academic background within New Zealand's premier health sciences institution. She attained Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners in 2010, affirming her advanced competence in family medicine and comprehensive patient care. In addition to her clinical practice, Hart contributed to a significant multi-centre clinical audit published in the New Zealand Medical Journal on 31 July 2020, entitled 'Appropriateness of trimethoprim as empiric treatment for cystitis in 15–55 year-old women: an audit.' As a participating practitioner from Queenstown Medical Centre, she submitted urine samples from patients with uncomplicated cystitis, aiding in the analysis of 340 qualifying specimens. The audit identified urinary pathogens in 53.2% of samples, predominantly Escherichia coli (43.5% of all samples), with 73.6% of E. coli isolates susceptible to trimethoprim (95% CI 66.6–80.7%). Overall, 75.1% of pathogens were trimethoprim-susceptible, compared to 92.7% for nitrofurantoin and 93.3% for cefalexin. The findings concluded that trimethoprim is no longer suitable as empiric first-line treatment for uncomplicated cystitis in this demographic due to rising resistance, recommending nitrofurantoin or cefalexin instead. This contribution highlights her engagement in evidence-based practice and antimicrobial stewardship in primary care settings. At Student Health Services, Hart delivers general practice services, including management of acute and chronic conditions, to foster student well-being.