I couldn’t operate without: my iPod. During the all day combined body contouring procedures that I do, music helps our team keep the focus, thanks to Classic Rock with some Hip/Hip thrown in.
The single biggest contribution to plastic surgery was: Beyond his technical contributions to plastic surgery, Sir Harold Gillies defined through example the sine qua non of the burgeoning field: surgical problem-solving.
The best part of next weekend will be: riding my road bike through the countryside near Concord, then watching the Formula 1 race on satellite.
The last book I read was -- Divine Proportion: Phi in Art, Nature, and Science. It’s about beauty and the Fibonacci sequence.
The best thing about plastic surgery is: the satisfaction from providing good patient care, followed closely by the friendship and fellowship that develops with other plastic surgeons locally and around the world.
The worst thing about plastic surgery is: Being consulted for aesthetic surgery on-the-spot at cocktail parties! I’ve started saying I’m a hand surgeon (also true but less likely to create trouble).
My all time favorite movie is: Apocalypse Now. I like books and movies that explore the extremes of humanity and the human condition, even if they can be a bit dark.
The single biggest influence on my choice to become a plastic surgeon: At UCLA, I was originally in the ENT program, but rotated through plastic surgery as an intern. Bill Shaw took me under his wing, I switched to general surgery, and then onto plastic surgery! I’m very grateful to Dr. Shaw and my other mentors. The importance of mentoring cannot be overstated, and I try to pass it down to my own residents.
The best vacation I ever took was: Through academic meetings, I’ve been fortunate to travel in the middle east: Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The people, the ancient Biblical sites, and the spiritual nature of the places made these trips absolutely unforgettable.
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| From Loren Borud |
The piece of software I couldn’t live without: Endnote… The designers of Endnote should win some type of humanitarian award! I never have to worry about references and bibliographies again (no, I don’t have any financial disclosures to make)!
I seriously collect: Oriental Carpets. The natural-dye carpets woven by hand, especially 70 or more years ago, are really incredible works of art. The painstaking work was accomplished (like plastic surgery) by skilled crafts-people who were obsessive about detail. I mean, think about it: a million knots per square meter for some carpets!
The best thing a grateful patient gave me was: A five foot tall painted giraffe. It was hand-carved out of a tree trunk with a chain-saw!
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| From Loren Borud |
