Peter Cruse

Dr Peter Cruse is a South African pathologist, hospital manager and healthcare educator based in Cape Town. 

Born in Oudtshoorn and educated at Pretoria Boys’ High School, he won the national Anglo-American Scholarship to study medicine at UCT. He subsequently won a national Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford and completed his PhD on colon cancer at the University of London. Trained in Anatomical Pathology at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, he has held senior leadership and academic roles in the UK, KSA, UAE and in South Africa, contributing extensively to medical education and hospital and laboratory management.

At UCT and Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH), Peter held the chair of Anatomical Pathology and was Head of Division while completing the MBA at the Graduate School of Business and winning the gold medal. During this time, Peter joined Emeritus Dean JP van Niekerk and other senior colleagues to plan, fund, build, and commission the UCT Private Academic Hospital. This is located within GSH to retain specialist staff, serve both public and private patients and generate income. It was the first hospital built by an innovative public-private partnership in South Africa.

Throughout his career, Dr Cruse has integrated medical science with clinical leadership and systems thinking and has advised on healthcare strategy and technology implementation across public and private sectors in several countries. He is the creator and Programme Director of “Future Proof Your Healthcare Practice,” the innovative online healthcare course for doctors at Henley Business School.

As an author and communicator, Peter has published many scientific papers in prestigious international journals. He recently published his memoirs, “From Oudtshoorn to Oxford: A Life Well-Lived.” Peter has three graduate children and two granddaughters.

November 2025