Biography

Dr David Okonji has a wealth of experience in medical oncology, having worked both in New Zealand and internationally over the last 14 years.

Dr Okonji undertook his medical degree in Cardiff University, UK, qualifying with merit in 2005. He then completed basic medical training before obtaining full membership to the Royal College of Physicians (UK) and a Diploma in Tropical Medicine (Ireland). Upon moving to New Zealand, Dr Okonji did his specialist medical oncology training in Wellington and Auckland, before becoming a Fellow of the Australasian College of Physicians in 2015.

He subsequently undertook clinical research as a Cridlan Fellow in Breast Cancer between 2015 and 2017 at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, leading to several publications in peer-reviewed journals. Dr Okonji then worked briefly as a Consultant Medical Oncologist in New South Wales, Australia before returning to Wellington in 2018. Dr Okonji is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in The University of Otago School of Medicine and is currently actively involved in research as an investigator in clinical trials at Wellington Hospital.

He is passionate about empowering patients to make individualised treatment choices through open and clear communication and has a particular focus on cancer care in the elderly.