Professor Gregor Coster

CNZM, MBChB, MSc(Hons), PhD, FRNZCGP(Dist), AFInstD

Following fifteen years in general practice Gregor was appointed as Professor of General Practice and head of department of General Practice and Primary Health Care at the University of Auckland Medical School. He was Chairman of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners from 1995-97 and was awarded the Gold Medal of the College, subsequently being awarded a Distinguished Fellowship.

Gregor had six years experience as the Dean of Graduate Studies at the University of Auckland, and in that role was responsible for providing oversight for all of the postgraduate programmes of the University across all faculties. The Masters and Doctoral research programmes were a particular focus.

He holds a PhD degree in public policy and has published widely in a range of research areas related to general practice and health services research.

He has held a number of directorships in Crown Entities including the Health Funding Authority, Chair of the Counties Manukau District Health Board in Auckland, and of the West Coast District Health Board, Deputy Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Management Agency for nine years, and Deputy Chairman of Health Workforce New Zealand, the government agency responsible for the development of the health workforce. He has also held governance roles in a number of private trusts. He is an accredited Fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. He is a board member of Unicef New Zealand.

He was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2007 for services to public health.