An inside interview with LocateADoc.com
Describe the most rewarding experience that you have had working with a patient?
You have many moments in medicine that REALLY make you feel good... I received a thank you letter from a patient that had a saw injury through the wrist and for whom I had reattached his near severed hand which is now working pretty well. That is very rewarding of course... But the process of learning a surgical skill, adding your own refinements, gaining the trust of a patient, taking them to the OR and making them happy... gives you that reward on an almost WEEKLY basis....
What is your charity organization of choice and why?
The American Diabetes Association... My youngest child was diagnosed as Insulin Dependant at age 3 and I feel confident with full support there will be a cure in his lifetime.
What does living in the Scottsdale community mean to you?
I think Scottsdale carries with it a feeling of well being, relaxation and beauty. Invariably when you are out of town and mention the city to people, their comments seem to reflect those attributes as well.
What is your favorite quote or saying?
Challenge yourself constantly... "If you're bored, then you're boring" - Harvey Danger
What makes your specialties the right fields of medicine for you?
Surgery was a match because I like the acute nature of it. A patient has a problem and by applying both your head and hands, in almost all cases, you fix it, then and there. Plastic Surgery became even more fitting because I was able to combine the above qualities with the fact that my work is so visually apparent to the patient and at times, to the world. That presents its own unique set of challenges, by adding the need for a somewhat aesthetic eye.
Finish this sentence: If I weren't a doctor I would be___.
In the Entertainment Industry because I like to make people feel good... or in Politics because I like to fix things... or in Advertising because I think it's fascinating that by presenting people with an idea that you created, you can actually alter markets and spending. I have great respect for people's hard work and the lifestyle choices they make.
When (your age) did you first realize you wanted to become a surgeon? And did you experience anything in particular to motivate you to achieve this prestigious goal?
At about age ten I think I first mentioned wanting to be a surgeon and then at about age fifteen I saw a spread in Life magazine which featured our own Dr. Ted Diethrich, here in Arizona, and the idea of being able to open up the human body, repair a problem, close the patient up and actually have them walk out of the hospital... That sealed it for me! Later that year I started working in a hospital (Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, NV) and attended an autopsy, all very motivating.
Can you tell us in your own words what you consider a perfect outcome of a surgical procedure?
When a patient tells me that their procedure changed their life, then that is as close to perfect as you can get.
What is your favorite procedure to perform and why?
I do tend to gravitate towards body work (Breast, Tummy and Lipo). Women are taking better care of their faces than ever before (sunscreen, peels, Botox, etc.). The baby boom generation and younger are still having children and their bodies can change in ways that they will never get back, no matter how many hours they spend in the gym! They are also far more active than my mother's generation and want to get back in that bikini and out to the beach! It's a very exciting and challenging group to work with.
What procedure would you like to do more of and why?
Breast Augmentation, for two reasons... First, women really like the result and tell me over and over that short of an education, it is the best thing they ever did for themselves. Second, there are a number of physicians that are not Board Certified Plastic Surgeons doing this procedure in their offices. Too often, there are many women who could have had a much better result if more attention would have been paid to detail instead of just "putting in an implant".
In a perfect world, when would you like to retire, where would you go and what would you do?
I'm not sure about that one!! I say now that maybe around age 60-62 I might stop operating but not stop working. I'll do some other line of work to keep me busy. Eventually my wife and I would like to retire to multiple places, spending 6 months or so at a time in both the U.S. and Europe.
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