Insight: Portraits of Women in Surgery

"Most of all, surgery allows you to help other people. If that’s what you want to do, then go for it because we need you."

The collective expertise, cultural breadth, and unified purpose of my colleagues create an environment where I truly thrive, reminding me daily that exceptional care emerges from collaboration, not isolation.

Fixing stuff! I treat people at really difficult times in their life following trauma, and together we focus on how to give them the best future function.

We are able to make a difference to people’s lives. In my specialty we save lives, save limbs and prevent strokes. There is nothing more satisfying than when we achieve this.

Role models gave me my aspirations, liver disease gave me my passion for surgery and the families I treat give me my inspiration.

This image shows my operating theatre where I work as a surgeon, doctor, cleaner, teacher and trainer, holder of hands, porter or phlebotomist; whatever is needed to get my patients through their operations, safely and efficiently, and support my team.

Here is where we find out if our pre-operative investigations are a true reflection of the workings of the patient’s heart, where we then stop the heart to undertake the repair, and at the end of the operation — when the heart starts up again — learn if the procedure has been successful.

Pay it forward. I’m still very early in my career but I always try to make time for medical students asking for help or advice. I was the first doctor in my family and owe a lot to all the people who responded to my ‘cold-emails’ asking for opportunities or mentorship.

For me, the greatest reward of being a surgeon is the knowledge that my clinical judgement and technical skills can make a tangible and often an immediate difference to another person's life.

I love the challenge of putting the theory into practice; the clinical detective work of making the diagnosis; how that relates to any physiological derangement and explains the operative findings; knowing I have the technical skills needed to perform the procedure and seeing the difference that makes as patients recover.

I’m sat outside of Concordia Station, Antarctica during the final sunset. We then survived in a darkness lasting for months, completely isolated from civilisation, in temperatures as low as -80 degrees Celsius, at an altitude of 3800m.


My job was to research the physiological adaptations of the crew and to serve as search and rescue lead/MD for any emergencies in the field. Concordia Station is the home of the world’s most remote operating theatre.

If I can do it, so can you! I truly believe that anything is achievable with enough dedication and hard work... My advice would be to seek out those who will support you — there will be many — and to repay that generosity by mentoring others in return.

The face of surgery and how it is delivered is changing dramatically, so learn to flex and pivot... Most importantly, be kind, as every case (no matter how big or small) could be someone’s scariest day.

The best advice I can offer is to persevere. Training is long and full of hurdles, but the sacrifices are worth it. I now feel incredibly fortunate to do a job I love—if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.

The most rewarding aspect of being a surgeon is the ability to directly improve people’s lives through technical skill and compassionate care. Operating can restore dignity, relieve pain, and offer hope.

This photograph shows me in the operating theatre — it is the place I love to be most. When I operate time comes to a standstill, and I focus totally on the present moment.

The photograph was taken in the consent clinic, where I meet patients before surgery to talk through their operation, risks, recovery, and uncertainties. This space is deeply important to me because it is where trust is built and patients’ voices are truly heard. These conversations shape a partnership grounded in respect and understanding.

Find a way to enjoy every day as a surgeon despite the pressures. I remind myself to enjoy each patient’s successful recovery and words of thanks rather than just moving to the next challenge.

I have always enjoyed working with my hands, making things and learning new crafts. Orthopaedics is such a creative speciality as there are so many ways to approach and fix a fracture.

I grew up in an environment of tailoring, embroidery, patchwork and hand-crafting and surgery was just another way of expressing my art — by restoring function and cosmesis of the tissues after cancer surgery.

I knew I wanted to be a surgeon from just 10 years old. Being born without a right ear, I underwent major reconstructive surgery at age 10 to form an ear from my rib cartilage and skin from my thigh. I was fascinated by the superb skill of the surgeon and the fantastic care from the wider surgical team.

What I love the most about my role is the interactions I have with children and their families, to see how they engage with treatment and the impact it has on their quality of life and confidence.

It has been said before but I truly feel it is art and science, a specialty where you must balance being bold and humble in equal measure as you intervene against the course of nature.

Being a surgeon is not just about operating; it is about restoring hope, function, and patient dignity. Knowing my skills can relieve pain and change someone’s future is profoundly rewarding.

The most rewarding aspect of being a surgeon is the profound impact on patients’ quality of life. This ranges from functional improvement such as restoring breathing or hearing to life-saving interventions like tumour removal.

Theatres are the main place others may see me “being a surgeon”. I included a step as it is the one piece of equipment I often need that others would not consider. While I previously needed it to get to the height of the table my trainers used, I am now transitioning to needing it to adjust to the table height my trainees need.