Kathleen Pih–Chang

Kathleen Pih–Chang (1902–1991) (also known as Pih Zhen–Wah and Kathleen Pih) was a Chinese–born New Zealand medical doctor and the first Chinese person to graduate as a doctor from the University of Otago in 1929.

Early life Pih-Chang was born in Lin–Shui (formerly Antung) in Jiangsu Province. She was named "Pih Zhen–Wah" which translates as "graduate" or "finish" or "to awaken and serve China".

Career On graduation Pih–Chang took up a position as a house surgeon in Oamaru for a year. She was ordained as a missionary in Dunedin in 1930 After learning Cantonese she worked at the Kong Cheun Hospital which was run by the Canton Villages Mission from 1930 to 1935. She performed a wide range of medical duties including surgery, caring for maternity cases and treating infectious diseases. They settled in Singapore for five years where they both taught at the University of Malaya.

In 1955 they moved to Hong Kong where Chang was Professor of Anatomy at Hong Kong University. Pih–Chang took up a role as a medical missionary at the Kwun Tong Peace Clinic treating the homeless and destitute, and refugees from China.

The Changs returned to New Zealand in 1969, retiring to Tauranga. Pih–Chang continued to work as an Honorary Medical Practitioner.

Personal life Pih–Chang was naturalised as a New Zealander in 1928. Only two Chinese were naturalised between 1904 and 1951.

In 1938 she married Francis Chang a professor of anatomy at St John's University in Shanghai. He died in Tauranga in 1978.

Pih–Chang died in Tauranga in February 1991.