Provider Spotlight
When There’s a Gill, There’s a Way
Catching Up with Dr. Thomas Gill
Dr. Thomas Gill is an orthopedic and sports medicine surgeon specializing in arthroscopic surgical reconstruction of the shoulder and knee. A Boston native, he completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard College, medical education at Harvard Medical School, and residency training at the Harvard Combined Orthopedic Program before expanding his training abroad. He was awarded one of his two fellowships in Switzerland, where he trained under the renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Reinhold Ganz. He then completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, CO. These experiences fundamentally shaped his approach to both surgery and patient care.
Back in Boston, Dr. Gill has more than 25 years of experience treating athletes at the highest levels of performance, including his role as Medical Director and Head Team Physician for the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, and Boston Ballet. At BMC Brighton, Dr. Gill is focused on also bringing that level of expertise to youth, high school, and collegiate athletes and their families.
For Dr. Gill, sports are his passion both professionally and personally. He maintains an active lifestyle and spends quality time running, cycling, and playing racquet sports with his family.
Why did you choose to specialize in orthopedics?
When I was in medical school, I had two primary interests: cardiology and orthopedic surgery. I wanted to be able to come into someone’s life at a time when things may be turned a little bit upside-down for them and try to help in real time. That’s what led me to a career in orthopedic surgery.
In fact, orthopedics has always been my passion. I’ve been active and athletic my whole life, and I’ve had my fair share of injuries. Those experiences naturally steered me toward orthopedics.
With regard to orthopedic surgery, I always liked the challenge of complex reconstruction surgery. It is incredibly special to be able to help people walk again who have sustained a serious injury, enable an athlete to get back to the sport they love, often at an even higher level than before they were injured, or help a patient get back to pursuing an active and healthy lifestyle following injury.
What experiences have shaped who you are as a physician?
I was born and attended school in the Boston area. I went to undergrad, medical school, and residency at Harvard. At the time I finished residency, I was intentional about seeking opportunities that would bring a fresh perspective to my life. So, I applied for and was awarded with the Maurice E. Muller Adult Reconstruction Fellowship that took me to Bern, Switzerland, and other leading centers around Europe.
It was probably one of the best things I could have done for my training because it really taught me how to think innovatively and differently and exposed me to new ways of tackling challenges. There’s an old saying, “there’s a lot of great ideas that come out of Boston, but not many that get in.” So, I’ve tried to bring those unique approaches that I was able to experience with me back to Boston.
“The guiding principle that I use with every patient is to ask myself, ‘If this were me, or my family member, how would I want to be treated?’”
How would you describe your approach to patient care?
The guiding principle that I use with every patient is to ask myself “If this were me, or my family member, how would I want to be treated?”
We spend a lot of time talking with our patients not only about orthopedic problems, but how these issues impact their lives as a whole. For example, A 16-year-old lacrosse player might tear her ACL, but the negative impact of the injury can often extend beyond just her knee—her entire social network, academic work, and to some degree, her sense of self may be disrupted. The result may be cascading effects on her academic performance and overall mental health.
Our program in Wellesley involves physicians, physician assistants, physical therapists, athletic trainers, performance trainers, and physiatrists, bringing together decades of the highest level of experience that we can rely on to both treat and communicate with our patients—to treat them more holistically and effectively.
Who is a mentor or someone you look up to in the field?
I did a fellowship in adult reconstruction surgery in Switzerland with a renowned surgeon named Reinhold Ganz, who essentially developed the entire field of joint preservation surgery around the hip. He really taught me an incredible amount, not just about orthopedics, but how to think, approach problems, and go “outside the box” to truly innovate. Ironically, he would urge me to not to do something just because one of my mentors told me to do it, but to always go back to the original science and research to know why I was choosing to treat a patient in a certain way.
What knowledge or advice do you want to share with the next generation of medical professionals?
What I remind my students, residents, and fellows of is this: at the end of the day, medicine is about what happens in an exam room and the patient–doctor relationship. That will never change.
Patients come to us with concerns about their injury that impact their ability to do their passions, to make a living, and sometimes to support their families. Whatever that may be, our role is to put them at ease and to get them back to living their lives to the fullest extent possible. It is those moments, of being able to touch someone’s life like that, that come first and foremost.
What are your interests and passions outside of your career?
My professional field is also my personal passion, which is sports. I pursue a lot of athletics like golf, tennis, running, cycling, and sprint triathlons. I love competition and team sports as well. When my kids were growing up, I spent as much time as possible being involved with their sports. My oldest son was a rower at Harvard and an elite Ironman Triathlete, my oldest daughter was the captain of the lacrosse team at Harvard, and my youngest daughter was a star on her championship lacrosse team at Yale. Now, our family’s quality time involves traveling, cooking, and “friendly competitions” with things like pickleball and running.
Collaborative Orthopedic Care to Keep You Moving
Our team of orthopedic surgeons, rheumatologists, physician assistants, nurses, athletic trainers, and physical therapists works together to create personalized treatment plans that support each patient’s recovery and long-term mobility. From diagnosis through rehabilitation, we’re committed to helping you return to the activities you love. We are proud that members of our team have been named Top Doctors in Boston by Boston Magazine.