Healthcare reform and its meaning to plastic surgeons.

Health-care reform is essential to the well-being of this country and to the well-being of medicine as a profession. The government has taken on a very complicated problem that seems to have very few good solutions. I do believe that the United States, as the most advanced and industrialized nation in the world, should have health care for every citizen. This must be balanced with continued research and advancement, and the least amount of government intervention in the doctor-patient relationship. For the medical profession, this means that we must continue our autonomy to advance the science and the art of medicine and surgery.

Some of you may be embarking on a career in plastic surgery, thinking that health-care reform and health care issues are not that relevant to a cosmetic surgery practice. This could not be further from the truth. Plastic surgery is rooted in the basic principles of wound healing, improving lives, and restoring lost form and function. Health care reform is more relevant to our profession today as the services we provide as plastic surgeons are being constantly monitored and valued by outside organizations that know little about what we do. Because the media have stereotyped plastic surgeons as being only about "nip and tuck," people forget about the major reconstructive surgical procedures that we perform on a daily basis. My practice is somewhat unique in that it is balanced with both cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery. I enjoy this balance, and I am passionate about my work.

Becoming a plastic surgeon is about helping your fellow man or woman. Healthcare reform in its principles is about this very same issue. We need to balance this goal with the conflicting political forces that seem to make this goal much more difficult than it has to be.

Science major or humanities major?

I have been asked this question by many high school and college students. My reply has always been to follow your true interests and thirst for knowledge. I do not believe that you should cut your education short during college just to play it safe to get into medical school. In other words, there are many students who would much rather study English literature or a Romance language than to be a biochemistry major. On the other hand, there are many students who truly enjoy biochemistry, and therefore should follow their hearts. So the direct answer to this question is “either or both.”

Acceptance into medical school is not an easy process. There are multiple parameters that are measured during the application process. The GPA and standardized exam scores, such as the MCAT, are a given into what category of school will view your application. Basic, prerequisite requirements need to be completed--such as biology, biochemistry, physics, etc. These prequisite requirements are usually enough to obtain a biology minor. My advice is to study subjects you will unlikely have another chance to study again in a college setting.

I studied philosophy as my major to answer the age old question of “what is the meaning of life?” I can't say that I found the answer, but the process and the opportunity to do so has served me well. To this day, I look back upon the outstanding professors, books, and ideas that challenged me to think about the world in a different light. This is in contrast to the many basic science courses that I took that are mainly irrelevant to me now. Four years of college go by very quickly…. There are many subjects from college which will be repeated in the first year of medical school. The second-year will be quite new, learning pathophysiology-- everything that can go wrong in the human body. Needless to say, the first year of medical school can be quite easy for some and more difficult for others. A big advantage of being a science major during college is a much easier first year of medical school. But this is not the main reason to do so, because by the second and third year, things will have equalized.

Being unique sets you apart from the crowd. You should strive not only for excellence, but also to be different. Plastic surgery is a unique specialty in that there is no single way to accomplish a task. It is a specialty that allows you to have your own signature, creativity, and inspiration. I encourage you to study life with passion and it will serve you well in your career toward plastic surgery.

Find a Mentor and Role Model

Throughout your professional career, a mentor or role model is critical in guiding your path.

In high school, it is helpful to become involved in the medical community by volunteering at the local hospital. By spending time at the hospital, one can find out if the hospital environment is the right place for you. Being around patients who are in need of medical services will either detract you or inspire you. The desire to help and heal people is at the heart of medicine and surgery.

In college, you will be studying extremely hard through all the basic sciences and premedical courses. It is important at this time to identify professors in areas of your interest who will help shape your professional and scientific interests. These individuals can be at your undergraduate university or at your University associated Medical School. It is at this time that you may be able to identify a plastic surgeon in the academic community with whom you can begin to understand this exciting field.

In medical school, you will be studying twice as hard, but should still find the time to identify a mentor, preferably at this time a plastic surgeon, with whom you can identify and begin some research projects. This will prepare you in multiple ways. It will allow you to see the process of residency training in plastic surgery, spend time with your role model to see what their professional career is like, and begin delving deeper into the science of plastic surgery. The mentor in this position will be critical in helping you obtain a spot in the most competitive residency in medicine.

I have been fortunate in having outstanding mentors and role models in my professional career. In high school, I had teachers in English and History who challenged us to think and write outside our boundaries. In medical school and surgical residency, my mentors and role models were Drs. Susan Mackinnon, Robert L. Walton, Lawrence Gottlieb, and Harry Buncke. Each are considered giants in their field and each shaped and molded my career path in their unique way. Most importantly, my father, a retired MD obstetrician, served as a constant role model with his hard work and dedication to his patients.

I am indebted and grateful for my mentors' leadership and guidance. You will also be lucky to find such outstanding individuals who will help guide your path.