Open to opportunities

Simphiwe Simelane

@simphiwesimelane

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Clinical researcher and physician specializing in child & adolescent mental health implementation.

South Africa

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What I'm looking for

I seek roles combining clinical research, implementation science, and product-design influence—collaborative teams that translate evidence into scalable health-system solutions.

I am a physician-researcher focused on strengthening child and adolescent mental health services through implementation science and participatory research. I completed an MBChB with first class honours and a PhD in Psychiatry with a focus on health systems and implementation.

My work spans clinical roles, trial leadership, and health systems engagement: I have served as a research medical officer in TB trials, a sessional medical officer supporting PACK Child guideline development, and a scientific officer leading protocol design for UNITE4TB trials.

I co-founded a healthcare technology start-up and act as Chief Medical Officer, providing clinical design input for an AI-powered clinical history-taking tool and aligning product workflows with frontline clinical needs. I also led venture design work for digital clinical guidelines and contributed to grant design and regulatory coordination.

I am committed to collaborative, stakeholder-driven research and pragmatic solutions that translate evidence into policy and practice, with a track record of publications, conference presentations, and successful grant and regulatory contributions.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Chief Medical Officer

Current

Script Healthcare Technologies

Mar 2025 - Present (7 months)

Co-founded and steer business and clinical strategy for an AI-powered clinical history-taking tool, designing intuitive patient workflows and aligning the platform with real-world clinician needs.

Venture Design AI in Healthcare Stakeholder Engagement Product Strategy Agile)Lean Startup Agile

Current

Scientific Officer

Current

TASK Applied Sciences

Feb 2025 - Present (8 months)

Serve as sponsor representative on UNITE4TB trials, lead protocol design and cross-functional trial teams, and oversee regulatory compliance, budgets, and dissemination for phase 2A/B clinical trials.

Clinical Trials Regulatory Compliance Stakeholder Engagement Budget Management Scientific Writing

Research Officer

Knowledge Translation Unit

Feb 2024 - Jan 2025 (11 months)

Co-designed research proposals and protocols with national and international stakeholders, supported grant submissions (e.g., NIHR polypill study), coordinated regulatory applications, and led development of the PACK App.

Research Design Regulatory Submissions Stakeholder Engagement

Sessional Medical Officer

Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness

Aug 2022 - Jul 2023 (11 months)

Developed clinical competency frameworks, contributed child and adolescent mental health content to PACK Child guideline, and engaged clinicians and policymakers to inform health system strengthening.

CAMH Content Development Clinical Training Health Systems Strengthening

Locum Medical Officer

Karl Bremer Hospital

Jul 2020 - Aug 2021 (1 year 1 month)

Managed paediatric and neonatal emergencies and supervised junior medical staff to maintain clinical care standards during locum appointments.

Emergency Medicine Clinical Supervision Acute Patient Management Triage)Triage

Research Medical Officer

Desmond Tutu TB Centre

Apr 2020 - Dec 2020 (8 months)

Conducted clinical assessments and maintained participant records and compliance for tuberculosis clinical trials during collaborative research projects.

Clinical Assessment TB Clinical Trials Clinical Records Data Collection GCP)GCP

Community Service Medical Officer

Mpumalanga Department of Health

May 2019 - Apr 2020 (11 months)

Delivered comprehensive care across paediatrics, internal medicine, and psychiatry, and initiated antenatal education and post-discharge mental health follow-up clinics at Tonga District Hospital.

Internal Medicine Psychiatry Community Health

Intern Medical Officer

Karl Bremer Hospital

Jan 2017 - Apr 2019 (2 years 3 months)

Completed rotations across core clinical departments, collaborating in multidisciplinary teams to provide acute and routine inpatient care during internship.

Medical Documentation Emergency Response

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Cape Town

Doctor of Philosophy, Psychiatry

2021 - 2025

PhD in Psychiatry focused on health systems strengthening, implementation science, participatory research, and child and adolescent mental health; thesis passed with confer date September 2025.

University of Cape Town

Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, Medicine

2010 - 2016

Grade: First Class Honours

Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery awarded with first class honours, including distinction in basic and clinical sciences.

University of Cape Town

Bachelor of Science in Medical Science (Honours), Immunology

2013 - 2013

Grade: First Class

Honours in Immunology (Bachelor of Science in Medical Science) awarded with first class standing; focused on macrophage genes targeted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.