Uk-based Guyanese Dr. Samantha Tross

Breaking records in the medical field internationally

It is reported that only six percent of all surgeons in the United Kingdom are female, and Guyanese Dr. Samantha Tross is one of them. Dr. Tross is the first female of Afro-Caribbean ancestry to become a consultant Orthopaedic surgeon in the UK.
Tross is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Ealing hospital NHS Trust. She is one of small but growing number of female Orthopaedic Consultant Surgeons, the only one practicing in the area.
She was born in Georgetown on June 30, 1968 to Sammy and Gwendolin Tross. The second of their four children, she went to St. Gabriel’s Primary School. Dr. Tross left Guyana in 1979 as her father was seconded to Africa with the Commonwealth secretariat.  She was sent to England to boarding school with her brother and sister.
She graduated from University College and Middlesex School of Medicine in 1992, by which time she decided to pursue a career in surgery. After her Senior House Officer rotation at the Royal London and Basildon Hospitals, she decided to pursue a career in Orthopaedic Surgery. She trained on the South East Thames (Guy’s and St. Thomas’s) rotation and completed Orthopaedic training in 2004. Thereafter, she was a locum Consultant at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital before her substantive appointment at Ealing Hospital.
Tross has had Fellowship Training in Lower Limb Arthroplasty from the world renowned Orthopaedic and Arthritic Institute, part of Sunnybrook and Women’s College, Toronto, CANADA, as well as the Peninsula Orthopaedic Institute in Sydney, Australia. Experience was gained in minimally invasive hip surgery, hip resurfacing, knee arthroscopy and computer navigated knee surgery in addition to standard primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasty. Postgraduate training has been gained in Hip Arthroscopy.
The surgeon’s current practice reflects her skills gained in her general Orthopaedic training, where she has experience in diagnosing and implementing treatment on most Orthopaedic pathologies.
She is a member of the British Hip Society. Tross’s success is based on her high standard of providing an excellent and efficient service for her patients all times. She is a surgeon but a doctor foremost with a holistic approach to her patients. She is also an Associate Editor of the Journal of Medical Case Reports.
Tross has been featured in the Black Britannia exhibition in the London Town Hall in May 2008 and in the Liverpool War Museum in August 2009. Tross was also featured in the “At Home with Dr. Hilary Jones- Guide to choosing your Consultant” in March 2009. She was also featured on the front cover of ‘The Vine Magazine’, March 2009, in their “Celebrating Professional Women” issue. Tross is also a featured consultant on the “Total Health Site” and has been profiled in “The Black Powerlist” in 2011 and 2012 by JP Morgan and voted one of the 100 most influential Black Britons.
In an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Dr. Tross said her fond memories as a child in Guyana were visiting her grandmother in Plaisance during the holidays and being visited by her great uncles from the Corentyne. She fondly remembers the freedom of playing in the outdoors, having bush cooks, playing hopscotch, and other games.
“I aspired to be a surgeon since age 7.  Not sure why.  My interest in Orthopaedic Surgery commenced on entering medical school. I enjoyed the practical aspect of the subject, the quick recovery of the patients and the approachability and affability of the Orthopaedic surgeons.  In addition, the first female surgeon I ever met was an Orthopaedic surgeon and I was a whizz at anatomy, which helped a great deal,” she pointed out.
The doctor went on to say: “My work involves seeing patients in a clinic setting and ordering investigations as appropriate.  I then decide on the best mode of treatment and perform the relevant operation as necessary.  Apart from elective work, I have to manage and perform surgery on patients that present as an emergency after accidents.  My role also involves teaching of junior doctors and management responsibilities within the hospital.”
Dr. Tross revealed that being a woman in Orthopaedics is a big challenge, as it remains a male dominated specialty.  She, however, deals with this by being the best that she can be, often working harder than her male counterparts and being focused on her goals. Overall, she has had much more support than discouragement with her career and would highly recommend this career path to any woman.
Her advice to young women is to not be afraid to chase their dreams but to be prepared to work hard and face obstacles and not be daunted by these. She added that the important thing though is for them to know themselves and be honest with themselves about their limitations. Get sensible advice and have a mentor.
“I often visit Guyana as my parents and extended family still reside there.  I was last there last month when I was fortunate to accompany Dr. Fawcett Jeffrey in running an outreach clinic in Lethem, organised by the Guyanese government.  I look forward to being part of such clinics in the future. Outside of work I enjoy travel, fine dining and dancing. I feel I have already accomplished a great deal in my career becoming the first female of Afro-Caribbean ancestry to become a consultant in the UK.  Besides learning new surgical techniques, my aim is to continue with teaching and to contribute more to the healthcare of Guyana,” she mentioned.