Past Perfect, Future Tense: Message on Plastic Surgery Day Dear Friends, I take this opportunity to congratulate you on the Plastic Surgery Day that we celebrate on 15th July every year. This also an occasion to reflect on ourselves and take a stock of what is in store for us. I feel that plastic surgery is at the cross roads today. There has been an information and learning explosion and a change in the societal mindset over the last decade or so that has led to a paradigm shift in the practice of Plastic Surgery. In this context it would not be out of place, if we, tarry a while and ask ourselves the eternal bewildering question: “who am I”? After a decade of learning and labor, all plastic surgeons face the identity crisis. It is travesty of the changing times and ever evolving scenario. On one hand we have been taught and exposed to the numerous lifesaving labor intensive procedures and techniques during our formative years of residency training. While on the other hand, glitzy world of cosmetic surgery beckons us. It is very difficult to forsake one for the other. The choice is indeed difficult. At that juncture it is worthwhile going back to our initial years and asking ourselves: “why did we choose to become plastic surgeons?” No doubt the lure of cosmetic surgery and the associated lucre is compelling but it would be unfair to forsake all our learning and training for this alluring proposition? Learn and practice cosmetic surgery, but at the same time do not forget your origin as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon. This paradigm shift leads us to another question: How to compete and deal with other practitioners of cosmetic surgery, the doctors and non-doctors. Our exposure and training gives us a definitive edge. Our approach based upon the sound concepts and principles surely puts us at an advantage to carry out various procedures to meet the realistic expectations of a demanding customer. We have to prevent the spread of misinformation and practice the science and art to the best of our capability. At the same time we must not forget the reconstructive surgery and make it an essential part of our practice. We must continue to surge ahead and explore all the frontiers of this ever challenging specialty of Plastic Surgery. At the same time we should not forget to give due and justified time and energy to our training. . The message has to be spread that the specialty caters to the needs of both the “masses” and the “classes. Let us rest on both the pillars of reconstructive and aesthetic aspects and zoom ahead. I also invite all of you to the city beautiful Chandigarh for the annual meeting of Association of Plastic Surgeons of India from October 15-19, 2014. The details are available at our website apsicon2014.org. Ramesh K Sharma President APSI 2014
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 01:35:24 +0000
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