Speaking at a media conference at Dunedin Hospital on Saturday, general surgeon Mark Thompson-Fawcett described Dr Paul Woods (29) as a "warm and compassionate person - a delightful guy, really".
"He was well-liked at the hospital and also the Otago University [and] will be very much missed by colleagues.
''He always had time to listen and professionally was thorough and methodical in his approach - he showed all the qualities you would like to have in a doctor.
''Nothing was too much trouble," Mr Thompson-Fawcett said.
Dr Woods, originally from Liverpool, graduated from medical school in England with honours and came to Otago in 2005 as a surgical registrar.
He worked for two years at Dunedin Hospital and completed basic surgical training.
He was due to start advanced surgical training in 2010 and would have been in New Zealand until about 2015, Mr Thompson Fawcett said.
For the past year he had been a postgraduate university student, working towards a Master of Medical Science degree.
His studies were funded by a $50,000 NZ Society of Gastroenterology Fellowship scholarship.
There was poignant moment after Mr Thompson-Fawcett answered a question from the Otago Daily Times about Dr Wood's interests, apart from medicine and research.
"He certainly liked exploring New Zealand basically and getting out of town on weekend trips and away for holidays - he was loving the opportunity for the outdoor life which is offered in New Zealand," he said.
Duty co-ordinator Wayne McLachlan said he believed funeral arrangements would be made by family in the United Kingdom.
Dunedin Hospital would most likely hold a memorial service and a memorial book would be signed by friends and colleagues and presented to family.
Dr Woods' research was carried out through the Intestinal Permeability Research Group, comprised of several academics and researchers, including Dr Michael Schultz, the consultant gastroenterologist and senior lecturer in medicine at the University of Otago Dunedin School of Medicine.
Dr Woods' particular research topic was the effect of probiotic bacteria - over-the-counter health remedies - on the lining of the human gut.
Dr Schultz said last night Dr Woods was an enthusiastic member of the team who would often text excited messages when his experiments were successful.
"He was new to research but he was great to work with - very diligent.
''He had fun with his experiments".
Dr Schultz said Dr Woods had already begun to write his master's thesis and it was hoped that would be completed and published next year.
Yesterday Dr Schultz visited Dr Woods' partner, Dr Leanne Tonney, who injured her hand in the accident and was admitted to Dunedin Hospital.
She was coping as well as could be expected, he said.
