When Australia’s Dr. Glen Gole was a teenager, he aspired to conquer the most challenging academic pursuit he could imagine. Nuclear physics didn’t cross his mind, so after a few years of a science degree, a lightbulb moment led him to transition to medicine. Despite the initial learning curve, by the end of his third year in medical school, he had transformed from being 61st in a class of 122 to claiming the top spot. As he cleverly puts it, “The lights went on in the factory,” and his passion for medicine ignited.
This passion found its fuel with the guidance of inspirational mentors, with Dr. Fred Hollows at the forefront. Taking Glen out to a clinic in Bourke, a town in remote western New South Wales with a large Aboriginal population, Dr. Hollows exposed him to the harsh realities of trachoma with congenital syphilis and a burnt out case of leprosy thrown in. It was here that Dr. Gole discovered his love for ophthalmology, captivated not only by the medical challenges but also by Dr. Hollows’ swashbuckling lifestyle—saving sight by day and indulging in the pleasures of a glass of Scotch, chess, pipe smoking, and fast cars after hours. Dr. Hollows’ charismatic and unique problem-solving approach left an indelible mark on the young Dr. Gole. Glen watched Fred create many an uncanny solution from scratch and yet also learned the harder and more delicate part of working with families of premature infants facing Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) where new parents had to be told the difficult news about their premature infant’s chances for vision. Dr. Gole never forgot Fred Hollows directive which he made clear while pointedly jabbing Glen’s sternum, “Your job is to put a piece into the jigsaw puzzle of this disease (ROP).” A directive Dr. Gole has never forgotten.
Furthering his journey, Dr. Gole ventured to Adelaide to research Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) in the lab, producing a flurry of papers. His path led him to Calgary in 1982, as part of the group that produced ICROP I (the International Classification of Retinopathy of Prematurity) and then a pediatric ophthalmology fellowship with Dr. Bill Scott (“ Dr Scott gave me my career”) at the University of Iowa in 1984. His time in Iowa, though challenging, opened doors to a deep appreciation for strabismus and for the positive impact of US fellowships on young international physicians.
Transitioning back to Australia, Dr. Gole faced some skepticism about establishing an exclusively pediatric ophthalmology practice in Brisbane as it was a novel concept at the time. Unfazed, he drew on his experience, including stints at CHOP in Philadelphia which included observing retinoblastoma care at Wills Eye Hospital. A supportive friend recognized his unparalleled expertise, cautioning good naturedly that with Glen’s know how, “No one is like you – you’ll be killed in the rush!”
Dr. Gole did hit the ground running, overcoming initial challenges to build a thriving practice. Supportive Australian colleagues with expertise in retinoblastoma treatment especially Drs James Elder and John McKenzie in Melbourne helped guide him through. He also made some trips with SightForAll to Vietnam where he met Dr. Chau Pham and also to Bangladesh and Laos.
These were amazing years which resulted in Dr. Gole being overworked in all directions. That was somehow not surprising to Glen as he comes from a long line of workaholics. Over the course of his career Dr. Gole has treated successfully more than 150 retinoblastoma cases of which he is proud to say there were no deaths due to metastatic disease. In almost thirty years, in addition to a busy strabismus practice, he treated the majority of the congenital cataracts and pediatric glaucoma cases in his state of Queensland.
Lessons in proper care pathways came from remote referrals including from Papua- New Guinea and Africa, shaping Dr. Gole’s holistic approach. His work with Dr. Fred Hollows in remote Australia including conducting cataract surgery in Bourke every three months, showcased the transformative impact that could be made on underserved but overwhelmingly grateful communities.
The Royal Children’s Hospital in Brisbane became a significant chapter in Dr. Gole’s career, where his commitment led him to propose a full-time role as the Head of the RCH Eye Department in 2010 (moving to the new Queensland Children’s Hospital in 2014) . Despite a daunting 2,500-patient waitlist, he pledged to clear it—an ambitious promise that, by the time of his retirement, had reduced by 90% to about 250 patients, one tenth the original number.
As technology advanced, Dr. Gole adapted, managing retinoblastoma cases with evolving treatments, collaborating with a growing team. In 2017, he passed the Directorship to Dr. Shuan Dai, confident in the capable hands of the succeeding RB team, Drs. Drs. Jayne Camuglia and Jac White.
Transitioning happily into retirement, Dr. Gole, alongside his wife, enjoys the presence of nine grandchildren nearby. While he was the first to pursue medicine in his family, his three children have each pursued careers as ‘doctors,’ one a medical doctor, another with a PhD, and another a veterinarian.,Reflecting on his journey, Glen quoted Isaac Newton sharing, “If I’ve seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
There’s no doubt a generation of today’s doctors will one day reference Dr. Glen Gole’s supportive shoulders as the foundation for the careers they’ve launched after working for or alongside this gentle man who’s come a long way from his teenage angst to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges in vision and complete the puzzle with his own unique piece carved from a lifetime of dedication to creating pediatric vision solutions.
