Dr. Susan Quaggin, Medical Professor, Branksome Hall alumnus
We talked to Dr. Susan Quaggin about the importance of her time at Branksome Hall in Toronto to leading her to become the person she is today.
We talked to Dr. Susan Quaggin about the importance of her time at Branksome Hall in Toronto to leading her to become the person she is today.
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A: One of the things that stands out is that gender was never an issue. Any goal I wanted to pursue or path that I wanted to follow seemed possible. Branksome Hall took gender out of the equation. I felt that nothing was restricted or off limits to me. I never thought twice about whether I should or shouldn't be pursuing my passion, despite being in many male-dominated environments.
At Branksome, I had great teachers who helped instill in me a passion for learning. They encouraged us not to shy away from challenges; in fact, we learned to welcome them.
A: I had solid grounding in science and math, and I knew in high school that I wanted to be a doctor. After Branksome, I obtained a full scholarship to attend the University of Toronto, and that gave me the opportunity to follow my professional path of medicine and science.
A: One of my fondest high school memories is meeting my future husband, Kevin Smith! He attended Royal St. George's [another independent school], and we met at a Branksome Hall party. My other fondest memories are also related to people the wonderful friendships I established at school and the incredible teachers who took a strong interest in me and encouraged me.
Susan Quaggin is a professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a leader in kidney disease research.
