Hunter Doig Women in Surgery Group

Ms Amy Campbell gained her membership with RCSEd in 2022 and is now an ENT Specialty Registrar on the East of Scotland programme, where she is the RCSEd trainee representative. She graduated with MBChB University of Dundee in 2018 following a BSc (Hons) in Anatomy from the University of Glasgow in 2013. During medical school, Amy completed a MSc by Research which focused on the influence of desired future medical specialty on anatomical knowledge and retention. She is passionate about both the history and future of women in surgery and has published in the area of gender imbalances in medical students. 

Miss Leena Chagla is a Consultant Surgeon and the clinical lead for the Breast unit at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. She is the immediate Past President of the Association of Breast Surgery (ABS). She has been President of the Liverpool and Northwest Society of Surgeons having trained and practised as a General Surgeon doing both Breast and Upper GI cancer surgery. She is a popular speaker both nationally and internationally. She is passionate about collaboration, MDT working and the welfare of trainees. She launched the Anti-bullying Campaign (#CoreItOut) for ABS in alliance with RCSEd. Leena was instrumental in setting up the International Committee at ABS with a view to sharing good practice globally. She represented Liverpool and Northern Counties in Waterpolo and were National champions in the early 90s!

Ms Beatrix Elsberger  is a Consultant Breast Surgeon at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, NHS Grampian. After completing her medical study in 2000 in Germany, Beatrix moved to the UK for her postgraduate training. Additional to her surgical training, she also undertook higher research degrees (MD, 2007 and PhD, 2011). She has an interest in translational breast cancer research and clinical trials. Her breast research team was awarded the NIHR Clinical Research Excellence in Surgical Trials (CREST) award in 2022. Through her engagement in national committees, Beatrix contributes to the shaping of clinical management guidelines to ensure equal access and standard of service delivery, improving quality of patient care. 

Ms Hajir Hashim is a Surgical Registrar, Medical Educator, and advocate for global health , surgical education and women empowerment.
Being a woman coming from a region marked by conflicts and resilience, she has transformed those experiences into a driving force for positive change, creating opportunities that empower women and youth through education, mentorship and collaboration. Her work focuses on making surgical and medical knowledge more accessible, fostering inclusion, empowering communities and nurturing future leaders in healthcare. Guided by empathy and purpose, Dr Hajir Hashim strives to build bridges between opportunity and potential, inspiring others to turn adversity into strength and learning into lasting impact. 

Miss Ailsa Innes is a General Surgery Specialty Registrar in North East England. She grew up in Edinburgh and now lives in the North East, where she is training in General Surgery. She has an interest in clinical leadership and last year worked as a Leadership and Management Fellow in her Deanery, where she deepened her knowledge of equality and diversity issues and the importance of a safe and supportive working culture. Miss Innes is eager to do her part to address the inequalities faced by women in her field and is excited by the role that the Group and the wider College can play in effecting positive change. 

Dr Andrew Martindale is a Consultant Urological Surgeon at NHS Tayside. Originally from Yorkshire and educated at the University of Oxford, he undertook early training at Guy’s Hospital, London, before relocating to Scotland for further surgical training over thirty years ago. In NHS Tayside, he has held key leadership roles, including departmental lead, surgical clinical director at Perth Royal Infirmary, and urology lead for the North Cancer Alliance. Andrew is a committed trainer, former Training Programme Director, and current MRCS examiner. He also serves the College as Educational Tutor, Regional Surgical Ambassador, and is a member of the Surgical Specialty Board in Urology.

Ms Sandra McAllister is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, specialising in soft tissue sarcoma and complex skin cancer. She is Chair of the Northern Ireland Regional Sarcoma Multidisciplinary Team and has led regional quality improvement initiatives in sarcoma services. Within the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, she is a member of the Junior Fellows’ Committee, the Surgical Specialty Board in Plastic Surgery, and the Hunter Doig Women in Surgery Group. She has a strong interest in education and surgical training, particularly in multidisciplinary education.

Amanda was brought up in Northern Ireland and attended medical school in Nottingham. After house jobs, anatomy demonstrating and a surgical rotation she spent six months in a neonatal post. 2 years researching the pathophysiology of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in upstate New York were followed by higher surgical training (paediatrics) in Scotland. Then she began her consultant  post in Dundee/Edinburgh  and has guided training through her role as TPD and SAC service, helping others reach their career goals. As a serving member of council at RCSEd she uses this platform to engage young people, trainee surgeons within the UK and overseas. 

Ms Wendy Minks completed her dental degree in Newcastle and medical degree in Leeds, undertaking foundation and core training in Yorkshire and the North East of England before progressing to higher surgical training in the Severn region. She is undertaking her surgical training while raising three children, bringing personal insight into factors that may influence progression and attainment. She is committed to advancing equitable training frameworks and strengthening networks for female trainees across surgical and dental specialties, enhancing access to opportunities for upskilling.

Ms Clara Munro is an ST8 General Surgical Registrar in the Northeast of England. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, having graduated with merit from Newcastle University. She became a National Medical Directors Clinical Fellow in 2020 and was seconded to The BMJ where, among other things, started their podcast ‘Doctor Informed’, writing and speaking about diversity, culture and patient safety in medicine. She has continued to champion woman in surgery as an invited speaker around the country leading workshops and talks on breaking down generational and hierarchical barriers to promote a more cohesive working culture in surgical teams.   

Miss Nandita Pal has been a Consultant Vascular Surgeon at Southampton General Hospital since 2015. She is an enthusiastic surgical teacher and trainer, and is a strong advocate of equitable access to a successful surgical career. She is delighted to have been involved in the Hunter Doig group from its inception, and now as a committee member. She is also Deputy Director of the Regional Surgical Ambassador network, and is a committee member for the vascular Surgical Specialty Board.