After leaving school, Hannah studied medicine at the University of Auckland, a career she was drawn to as a year 10-11 student. “I loved the sciences, and liked the idea of being challenged academically while still being able to work in a social environment with people,” she explains.
After completing her degree, she spent two years as a house surgeon, rotating through different subspecialties each quarter. It was during her three-month ophthalmology rotation that she discovered her passion, leading her to commit to a further six years of training to become an ophthalmologist.
Hannah has fond memories of her years at Strathallan and says it was a wonderful place to learn and grow. “I always felt supported and encouraged by my teachers, who pushed me academically and really fostered my love for learning.” Here she shares those memories and reflects on her journey from valedictorian to oculoplastic surgeon.
Why did you choose ophthalmology?
As a house surgeon, I loved the precision and detail of the surgery, I loved that the goal of treatment was restoring or maintaining our patients’ vision to maintain or improve their quality of life, and I loved the problem-solving nature of an undifferentiated ophthalmology case. I also met and was encouraged by a number of phenomenal, more senior surgeons during this time, who further encouraged the pursuit of ophthalmology, despite the highly competitive nature of the selection process. The most notable was Dame Professor Helen Danesh Meyer, who I worked with on research into women in surgery, and who remains my mentor and great friend.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
Eye surgery is an incredibly satisfying thing to perform - there is nothing better than seeing the patient following a procedure performed to improve sight post-operatively, where you are able to share in their joy of a positive outcome. Cataract surgery is incredibly satisfying for this reason. My subspecialty of oculoplastics is also a wonderful area to work in - the surgery tends to be less prescribed and more artistic or problem-solving in nature compared to other aspects of my work, and once again allows me to improve a patient's prognosis by removing their cancer or improving their symptoms, also while aiming for a positive cosmetic outcome.
What are some of your proudest achievements since graduating?
I think a lot of what makes me most proud is the people that surround me. I am the eldest of four children, and watching my three sisters grow and develop in their own personal and professional lives has been one of my greatest joys. They are all such remarkable women, and I feel incredibly proud to be a part of their lives and journeys. I also have wonderful friends who I am extremely grateful for. My university career has provided me with an incredible network of supportive and inspiring humans, and I am so proud to call them all my people, even when we live halfway across the world from most of them.
Notable professional accomplishments include being named Senior Scholar of my medical school class in 2017, being accepted into the competitive ophthalmology training scheme relatively early in my medical career, and most recently completing my oculoplastics fellowship - it has felt like clearing the final hurdle in a very rewarding but long training journey.
My involvement in the publication of research looking at the representation of women in surgery/ophthalmology is something I am also passionate about. But it is probably the interactions I have with patients and sharing in the success of post-operative outcomes that makes me most proud. I count myself incredibly lucky to have found a career that I love - my happy place is very much in the operating theatre!
How did your years at Strathallan help shape you?
Strathallan really pushed me academically. As someone who had a love for learning, I never felt out of place or "nerdy". Strathallan prepared me exceptionally well for university, and the competitive nature of first year biomedical science/medical school admission. My teachers were all amazing, and I feel that their passion for their own subjects shaped my enjoyment and love of them. I often think of Ms Llewellyn as I explain the behaviour of light and its interaction with different intraocular lenses to my patients, or Mr Fourie when looking at complex lens calculations. And I cannot pass a copy of Jane Eyre without thinking of Ms Drummond.
In addition to academia, I also was able to engage in a range of extracurricular activities. I played within and captained the senior netball team, and was also part of the student leadership team, as a student council member in year 12 and as the head of student council in year 13. These roles fostered leadership skills and once again helped to prepare me for different roles within my university and medical career.
Can you describe a memorable moment or experience from your time at Strathallan?
There are so many. The day that Justin Beiber visited has to be one - me and my three sisters were all students at the college, and I can still recall our excitement on the drive to school that day; winning the talent quest in year 12, dancing alongside my sister, Lucy; the design & literature trip to London, Paris and New York, an incredible, eye-opening opportunity to see the world and a contributing factor in my decision to return to the UK for my fellowship training; delivering the valedictorian speech on our final day at school and realising that it may be one of the last times I set foot in the gymnasium - it was such an exciting stage of life to reach, with university and adult life awaiting; and the many lunch times spent in the quad with my friends, trying to avoid that cold wind that can really whip through when it's blowing from a certain direction!
If you could give a student starting at Strathallan one piece of advice, what would it be?
Outside of the expected cliched advice around seizing every opportunity and working hard; thank your parents. I am so grateful that mine were able to provide me with the opportunity to attend Strathallan. They never made me feel like any aspiration was too great. I wouldn't be where I am without their support.
Also, your teachers are actually very cool, very intelligent people. Appreciate them and soak up as much as you can from their knowledge base. Once you leave school, it is rare to have contact with experts who are willing to give you so much of their time and energy.
What’s next for Dr Hannah Gill?
I am about to become a mum, with our first baby due in May. My husband and I plan to remain in London with the baby for the summer, and return back to New Zealand later this year, where I will begin work as a consultant ophthalmologist/oculoplastic surgeon. We are both excited and a little terrified of what the next stage of life has in store for us!
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