Meet Our Team

PhD
Lecturer

Bio

Dr. Akhabir holds a PhD in Experimental Medicine from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. In addition to her doctoral thesis on functional characterization of genetic variants associated with asthma, she conducted postdoctoral research in statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology of complex disease at the University of British Columbia and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

BAppSci(MedSci), MBBS, GradDipMed(OphSci)
Clinical Associate Professor

Bio

Dr Hannah Gilchrist is a medical doctor, educator, and strategic leader with extensive experience in clinical practice and medical education. She has held senior roles in hospital-based training and university teaching, leading curriculum development, tutor coordination, and accreditation initiatives. Dr Gilchrist is passionate about advancing medical education through innovation, student partnership, and a strong focus on clinician wellbeing and professional development.

MBChB, MWomHMed
Senior Lecturer

Bio

Dr. Jamil is a Lecturer and Research Advisor at OUM. Her research interests are early detection and prevention of prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes and, since 2010, she has been featured in over 20 publications in these areas. She received her medical degree from the College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University in Baghdad, practiced as a general practitioner in Baghdad for four years, and completed a Diploma in Child Health at the University of Sydney and a Master’s in Women’s Health at the University of New South Wales. Dr. Jamil has been teaching biomedical science subjects in multiple Australian universities for the past decade.

MBBS, MEHP
Senior Lecturer

Bio

Dr. Khoujah was born and raised in Saudi Arabia, completing her medical degree at the King Abdulaziz University College of Medicine. She completed her residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center, followed by a Faculty Development Fellowship. She earned a Master of Education in Health Professions at Johns Hopkins University in 2020, and her interests include medical education, geriatrics, and neurologic emergencies.

PhD, BSc(Hon)
Associate Professor

Bio

Associate Professor McGuire has served the University for over a decade, teaching Endocrine and Reproductive Organ Systems and supporting all students from the time they are prospective students until they become alumni. She was named Associate Dean for Student Engagement, in late 2022. Dr. McGuire earned her PhD in Reproductive Endocrinology from the University of California Berkeley, where she was a National Science Foundation Fellow and was an Instructor of Endocrinology and Human Reproduction. She has also been a Visiting Scholar at the University of British Columbia and was formerly Provincial Director of Research for the Ministry of Health in British Columbia.

MBChB, MPH, MS
Associate Professor

Bio

Dr. Muhsin serves as Course Director for the Urinary System and teaches the Cardiovascular and Renal Systems. He earned his medical degree from Al-Mustansiriyah College of Medicine in Baghdad, a Master of Public Health from Texas A&M University, and Master of Science from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center where he is also completing his PhD. He has been a Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant at Texas A&M and worked on several research and community health projects through the University of Babylon College of Medicine in Iraq. Dr. Muhsin also worked as a family medicine physician in rural Australia.

PhD
Senior Lecturer

Bio

Dr. Jessica Owen is a distinguished research scientist and educator, specializing in neuropathology and sleep disorders. She earned her Ph.D. in Laboratory and Clinical Sciences from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, where her doctoral thesis focused on the Neuropathology of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Following her Ph.D., Dr. Owen completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, furthering her expertise in sleep medicine and neurobiology. She has also contributed to academia as a Teaching Assistant at RMIT, instructing in Neuroscience, Psychology, and Cell Biology.

Currently serving as Deputy Director of Research at Oceania University of Medicine (OUM), Dr. Owen plays a pivotal role in guiding research initiatives, mentoring students, and advancing OUM’s commitment to scientific discovery and medical education. As a Research Advisor and Senior Lecturer, she continues to foster innovative research collaborations and support students in developing high-impact research projects.

MD, MSc (HIM)
Associate Professor

Bio

Dr. Robinson has been on the OUM faculty since 2015 in several capacities, as a Dean for North America and Director of Clinical Education and Faculty, an Assistant Professor of Medicine, and Academic Advisor. In addition to her MD, Dr. Robinson earned a Master of Science in Health Informatics Management from the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida. She has extensive experience with electronic medical records systems/telemedicine, e-learning technologies, and database analytics. In 2018 Dr. Robinson was a Chief Medical Information Officer at Pemiscot Memorial Hospital System (PMHS) in Missouri (US), having been an active clinician at ten rural health centers and two urgent care centers within the PMHS.

MBChB, FRNZCGP
Lecturer

Bio

Dr. Sethi serves as the Dean for Samoa, American Samoa, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Asia-Pacific at OUM, where he also holds the roles of Clinical Coordinator for Aotearoa New Zealand and Clinical Core Course Specialist in Family Medicine. As the University’s first Clinical Coordinator for New Zealand, he plays a key role in facilitating local clinical rotations and guiding students through their in-country training experience.

BHB, MBChB, MPH, FRACP, FCSANZ, FESC, FACC
Professor

Bio

Professor Asiata Dr. Satupaitea Viali is the current Vice Chancellor and President of OUM Samoa, serving since 2024. Prof Satu is a Cardiologist and Specialist Physician in Samoa. From 2002 to 2008, he was OUM’s Professor and Dean, and in 2007, he was on hand to congratulate OUM’s first graduates. He rejoined OUM as Interim Dean of Samoa and the Asia Pacific and Professor of Medicine in May 2023.

In addition to his roles at OUM, Professor Viali is a Professor Adjunct of Epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, Yale University; Professor Honorary in the Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Science at the University of Auckland; and Professor of Medicine at the National University of Samoa School of Medicine and School of Nursing. He is also a Cardiologist and Specialist Physician at the Medical Specialist Cardiology Clinic in Tuloto, Togafuafua, Apia, Samoa, and serves as a Visiting Cardiologist and Specialist Physician to the Ministry of Health and the National Hospital in the National Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease Program. His primary area of expertise is echocardiographic screening in schools, having performed over 30,000 screening echocardiograms since 2008, with ongoing research into the regression and management of rheumatic heart disease over the past 18 years.

Professor Viali has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals on rheumatic fever, rheumatic heart disease, non-communicable diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and related topics. He earned his Bachelor of Human Biology and MBChB from the University of Auckland Medical School and his Master of Public Health from the University of New South Wales. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP), the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (FCSANZ), the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), and the American College of Cardiology (FACC), and was recently inducted as a Fellow of the Pacific Academy of Sciences. His current collaborative research includes studies on the ghrelin hormone and cardiovascular health, Parkinson’s disease genetics, lipidomics, metabolic health, and lymphatic filariasis, in partnership with institutions including Yale University, the University of Auckland, the University of Otago, the University of Pittsburgh, Brown University, Variant Bio, and the University of Queensland. He also serves as Co-Director of the Yale University Fogarty Global Health International Centre in Samoa and is a member of the Olaga Research Group.

Professor Viali has taught medical students across the Pacific, New Zealand, Australia, French Polynesia, and the United States, and has worked clinically in Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands. He is currently Chair of the Samoa Medical Council, Chair of the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), and Founding and Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Church Samoa since 2014.

PhD, MHEd, GradDipFET, BSc(Hons), GCBiostatistics, GCTertEd(QA)
Associate Professor

Bio

Dr. Jenny Wilkinson is OUM’s Director of Research, bringing extensive experience in medical and health education, biostatistics, and academic leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Queensland, and a Master of Health Education and her PhD in Physiology from Macquarie University, earning additional postgraduate qualifications in education/training and biostatistics.

Having spent over two decades in academia, Dr. Wilkinson has published widely, led collaborative research projects, and presented at national and international conferences. At OUM, she drives the university’s research strategy, fosters capacity-building, and promotes evidence-based and student-led research.