Emma Stapleton and family: "I owe 99% of my success to my husband Peter."
Interviewed by Rohma Abrar.
The Hunter Doig Medal is awarded once every two years to a female Fellow or Member of the Royal College of the Surgeons of Edinburgh who has demonstrated outstanding career potential and ambition. The medal is named after two female surgeons, Alice Headwards-Hunter and Caroline Doig. At a ceremony in April 2023, the award was given to Emma Stapleton, ENT Features Editor on ENT & Audiology News and Consultant Otolaryngologist at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, where she is clinical lead for the Manchester Cochlear Implant Programme. It is the first time the accolade has been given to an ENT surgeon.
Congratulations! What does the award mean to you personally?
Thank you. It’s very humbling to receive an award from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. The most important thing to me is that I was nominated by a wide range of colleagues, including several of my trainees and mentees, and some very senior colleagues, including two MBEs! So, whilst I do not feel worthy or deserving of it, I am grateful.
Why do you not feel worthy?
I think it’s quite normal to experience this. It’s a function of the environment in which we exist. At its worst it can be painful and crippling. If we try to be objective, seek feedback, and see ourselves as others do, this can be useful. I also think it’s probably healthier to underestimate yourself than the opposite!
You’ve achieved a lot in your career so far as a young consultant. What motivates you?
I’ve had some very good and some truly awful times in my career so far. I know how powerful it can be to have support and guidance, and to have people fighting your corner. So, one of the things that really drives me is wanting to create that environment for others. This doesn’t just make a difference at an individual level but on a bigger level too. By nurturing the talent of the future, I believe we can eventually change the culture. There is so much talent in the upcoming generation; we must support it responsibly.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my trainees and mentees. By offering a small amount of support to students and trainees, they can achieve great things. And that is because their talent is already there, it just needs a bit of nurturing and encouragement.
OK, so something I am personally proud of? This is difficult! But I suppose I am proud to be president of our regional society, the North of England Otolaryngology Society. I took over as honorary secretary in my first year as a consultant in 2018. As a committee we’ve increased attendance at meetings from 40 people in 2018 to over 250 people in 2023 and I think we’ve done this in a responsible way. We’ve created a trainees committee so that our trainees have ownership of conference sessions and how the society is run. We’ve created an SAS group to engage colleagues who are not in training or consultant roles. We’ve invested more of the society’s funds in prizes, awards and grants to lots of promising young colleagues. We keep meetings free of charge for students, trainees and members. Regional societies are social as well as educational, and of course an opportunity to support the next generation of colleagues. It’s still work in progress, but I am absolutely proud of it.
There must be more you’re proud of personally!
I’m also proud of my clinical work. I’m clinical lead of the Manchester Cochlear Implant Programme which is one of the biggest in the UK, and we regularly push the boundaries to do the best for our patients. We have a fantastic team of audiologists, therapists and clinical scientists who do amazing work restoring hearing to babies, children, adolescents, and adults. I’m proud to be part of this team.
Of course, I am also proud to be part of ENT & Audiology News! I started as a journal reviewer, then took on the Trainee Matters section in 2015, then International Newsround which I edited for seven years before handing over to you and Haseem. It is a real honour to be involved with the magazine and I’ve met so many wonderful people through it. I think its real strengths are international collaborations, responsible publishing and engaging colleagues in lower income countries who are doing spectacular work but may not always have the same opportunities that are presented to us in the UK.
I’m a trustee of several charities, including the Journal of Laryngology and Otology and the TWJ Foundation. Also, the British Cochlear Implant Group. These roles are a great honour, and of course another opportunity to responsibly support the ENT talent of the future.
You put all your efforts into your multiple roles, how do you manage to juggle all these responsibilities?
I don’t really like the concept of juggling! It sounds like a challenge, a risk of dropping things. I don’t feel that way at all. All aspects of life should be harmonious with each other. If there’s something one loves, it isn’t a chore. If something upsets the harmony or makes you unhappy, step back and readdress it.
Who or what do you attribute your successes to?
I owe 99% of my success to my husband Peter, who is a wonderful, patient and kind man. He’s always been supportive of my career, and he makes a mean chili too. He works in the financial world and is an amazing father to our boys. If I didn’t have Peter in my life, things would be very different indeed.
Do you have any regrets in your career?
Yes, I was a very shy student and trainee and I held myself back a lot. If I had my time again, I’d speak up more, I’d be braver and bolder. Actively showing an interest and asking for opportunities makes a good impression, so I wish I’d been more forward.
Last but not least, where do you keep your medal?
In a desk drawer at home!
Thank you, Emma, and congratulations once again on this incredible achievement as an inspiring woman in surgery.
