Posted July 02, 2018 in
I became a plastic surgeon due to wood shop class and too much television. I more-or-less randomly enrolled in a woodworking class in junior high school–and fell in love with it. By high school, I was turning jars, carving bowls, and making furniture. When I was 15, I watched a PBS NOVA special on TV featuring a plastic surgeon, Burt Brent, M.D., who had pioneered ear reconstruction by carving rib cartilage–with woodworking tools. I thought to myself, “I bet I could do that.” With my parents’ permission, I traveled to Stanford to watch Dr. Brent operate for a couple days. I had found my calling.