Our Doctors
Dr Simone Zoepke
Simone is a local girl and attended the local public Kloof schools, starting at Kloof Pre-Primary and ending at Kloof High School. She then traveled and worked for a year before completing her studies in medicine at the University of Pretoria. She did her internship at the PMB Hospital Complex over 2 years and then made the trek to Bethlehem where she did her Community Service year in the Phekolong District Hospital Casualty. Thereafter, she practiced as a GP in women’s health for two years before moving to the Hillcrest Surgical Unit and the Hillcrest Medicross. She has developed and nurtured a keen interest in Plastics and Reconstructive surgery, Emergency Care, Orthopaedics and Female Health.
During her undergraduate studies, Simone spent 7 weeks in Tromso, Norway where she learnt under the wing of plastic surgeon, Dr Louis de Weerd. She then went on to write a medical paper with him on the use of muscle flaps in reconstructive surgery in addition to another she wrote with Dr Nikki Allorto in the field of Burn Surgery. She has always had a passion for writing and teaching and finds pleasure in imparting her knowledge and experience onto others. She now hopes to share her knowledge with the upper highway community through Public Health and be a filter for the technical and sometimes overwhelming amounts of information available to those looking for answers about their bodies and health.
Dr Taryn Fisher
Born and raised in Hillcrest, Dr Taryn Fisher attended Hillcrest Primary, Thomas More College, and matriculated from Hillcrest High School in 2004. She began her medical journey with a Bachelor’s degree in Critical Care Technology and went on to work in theatre at St Augustine’s Hospital for two and a half years. She then assisted anaesthetists at Busamed Hospital for five years, contributing significantly during its early operations.
In 2014, she pursued her passion further by studying medicine at Stellenbosch University. Her internship took place at the Pietermaritzburg Hospital Complex, followed by a community service year in Hammersdale, where she served in a rural healthcare setting.
Dr Fisher’s special interests include anaesthetics, procedural sedation, mental health, and ketamine-assisted therapy. She is currently completing a postgraduate diploma in Procedural Sedation and Pain Management.
Grounded in the values of self-improvement, empathy, and lifelong learning, Dr Fisher brings both technical excellence and deep compassion to her practice. She is committed to creating safe, informed, and patient-centered care experiences.
Outside the clinic, she enjoys reading, traveling, building Lego masterpieces, and spoiling her three much-loved cats. She is married to an anaesthetist at Busamed Hospital, and together they share a deep love for medicine—and their furry family.
Dr Shaun Martin
Shaun Martin grew up in Westville and attended Westville Boys’ High School before training as a medical doctor at Wits University. After qualifying, he worked at Baragwanath Hospital first as an Intern and then in the Anaesthetics department where he attained a Diploma in Anaesthesia. He did a further 18 months in Lincoln, UK as a Staff grade in Anaesthetics before returning to South Africa. He has been a GP in The Upper Highway since 1994 with regular return visits initially to the UK for Anaesthetic locums and more recently to Ireland as a GP locum.
His particular fields of interest include care of the elderly, Addiction Medicine, Urgent care and Procedural Sedation. He is a director at Hillcrest Surgical Unit and Careline Crisis and Halfway House, and a GP at Medicross Hillcrest and Le Domaine Health
Dr Nirusha Kassen
Born and raised in Standerton, Dr. Kassen began her education at Stanwest Secondary School, completing her schooling from Grade 1 through 12. She went on to pursue her medical degree at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), where her passion for patient care and neurology began to take shape.
Following her studies, Dr. Kassen completed her internship and community service at Ngwelezana Hospital, gaining invaluable experience in a diverse clinical environment. In 2010, she began her specialist training as a neurology registrar, completing four years in the program before deciding to rather serve in the field as a medical officer in neurology at Grey’s Hospital and IALH until 2019.
Beyond her professional life, Dr. Kassen is a devoted mother to a daughter and a son. She’s known for her warmth, kindness, and unwavering belief in the power of small gestures to brighten someone’s day. She has a deep love for animals—especially her cat—and finds joy in bonding with children and witnessing their growth.
Although she proudly admits she can’t cook, Dr. Kassen is an enthusiastic food lover. Her genuine compassion, strong values, and down-to-earth nature make her not only a skilled doctor but also someone who brings heart into every interaction.