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Interview with Dr. Rod Rohrich |
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May 1, 2017 Issue |
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CEOCFO MAGAZINE |
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“Live Your Dream Each Day and In Your Own Way!” |
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"Best care through discovery and innovation."
Interview conducted by:
Lynn Fosse, Senior Editor, CEOCFO Magazine
CEOCFO: You have a long and distinguished medical career. Would you touch on what stands out for you?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: Both professionally and personally, I’ve always pushed myself to be the best version of ‘me’ possible. Being a good person, a good doctor, a great mentor, a father and a teacher to my children and students is what has always mattered the most to me. This self-taught mindset, always striving to ‘be better,’ has afforded me to be in this position where I can give back to those less fortunate each and every day. And I truly believe the best is yet to come. I love what I do each day, and recognize I am fortunate -- for just this alone, if nothing else. I love life, medicine, plastic surgery and, of course, I love and cherish my family. My two children light up my life each and every day.
What stands out to me about my medical career is that I’ve created myself a niche, doing something I love. As a teacher, lecturer and distinguished surgeon, I’m granted with the ability to mentor and be a role model to those around me, including my children, students and residents around the world. I open myself up so they can learn from my mistakes, and my successes. I want to leave the medicinal industry, my family, students and this great earth as a slightly better place because of my impact and energy, so I begin each day with a promise to myself to attempt to do so!
CEOCFO: What is your focus today, both at the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute, as Editor of the world’s largest and best Plastic Surgery Journal and as a professor at UT Southwestern?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: My main focus is on finding a way to improve consumers’ choices. Ensuring people are informed and educated about their health care options is critical in this information age of healthcare explosion. Today, it is very challenging for the consumer to assess what is real vs. fake and good vs. bad. I’d love to become a true “Dr. Google”, providing consumers a real MD who will provide factual and useful information, so they can easily be guided to options that will produce the best care.
CEOCFO: How do you find the time and energy to do so much and help so many people, whether directly as a surgeon or through research and teaching?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: First and foremost, I am very passionate and love what I do each day – that is key to remaining energized!! If you are energized, this will become contagious. Furthermore, I don’t really need much sleep, as I think it is overall a true waste of our short time on this earth- we all can sleep later. I am truly blessed to love what I do each day, and never have to think “I am going to work”.
CEOCFO: How do you help your patients, both with innovative procedures and with an understanding of their individual needs and concerns?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: I have to be compassionate, caring and capable in order to consistently give the best care and to get the best outcomes for my patients. You need to be energized each day to do and be the best you can for yourself and, most importantly, for your patients, and those around you. I am always thinking of better and safer ways to give the best care to my patients. My recommendation is that no one will ever be completely satisfied with what you are doing, so you can always keep learning and get better!!
CEOCFO: Where artistry comes into play in your surgery and how do you help your students understand that part of plastic surgery?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: That is easy – just like a true artist, a true expert in Plastic Surgery always sees what a patient will look like before they start a procedure. When I operate on a nose for a rhinoplasty, I know exactly what the patient will look like at the end of the operation - I just need to execute the proper steps to make that happen. It’s very much like the artist on his canvas; however, my canvas is living mobile flesh, much less forgiving of error!
CEOCFO: What procedures are available today that perhaps people don’t realize or understand?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: There are several things that are likely not apparent to the general population, for instance, the ability of our own fat to be transformed and used for stem cells growth, stimulation of wound healing, or reduce bruising or swelling, and even potentially to restore you to a more youthful self!! Another one is the ability to make 3D images come to life [soon] from 3D printing, which will be useful to help perform spare parts surgery in the near future. So, if you need an ear or a kidney, we can make it for you and put it to work inside your body-- the future is near today!! How incredible.
CEOCFO: With so much personal recognition in research, teaching, and surgery, what is most meaningful for you?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: The most meaningful thing in my life has been to role model for my children and students, so they learn the art of being curious, the heart of being compassionate and the brain to show them how to give back. The key to advancing science is to train and teach the next generation of medical and Plastic Surgery leaders to be compassionate physicians.
CEOCFO: Giving back to the community is clearly important for you. How do you decide when, where and how?
Dr. Rod Rohrich: I decided to do this when one day in medical school I realized that I was feeling really sorry for myself - for working so hard and for how long it takes to get through school. So I took a walk, and ran into a homeless man who told me his life story. From that day forward, I never felt sorry for myself again. My drive for giving back and helping others comes from moments like that, and even more importantly from my parents, who never completed grade school and spoke only German but educated their children to have a better life in this great country. I feel we are all obliged to do the same for the next generation; to give back for our children and for our planet so we can keep this earth intact!
CEOCFO: What is ahead for you? Seems hard to imagine anything you have not accomplished that you set out to do.
Dr. Rod Rohrich: I don’t have any goals I’ve set out to accomplish in the near future, but I continue to uphold my belief that you must always aim higher each day! You can and must dream and live your dream each day- but then you have to get up and get to work to make it happen! We all must be goal driven and goal oriented each day if we are to continue to grow and be successful! Never look back, as the view from behind is not as good as you’ll remember! |
“I’ve always pushed myself to be the best version of ‘me’ possible. Being a good person, a good doctor, a great mentor, a father and a teacher to my children and students is what has always mattered the most to me. This self-taught mindset, always striving to ‘be better,’ has afforded me to be in this position where I can give back to those less fortunate each and every day. And I truly believe the best is yet to come.”- Rod J. Rohrich, M.D.
Contact: Rod J. Rohrich, M.D. 214-821-9114
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Dr. Rod Rohrich, Interview with Dr. Rod Rohrich, “Live Your Dream Each Day and In Your Own Way!”, Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Rod J. Rohrich, MD, Clinical Professor and Founding Chair -Dept of Plastic Surgery, Editor-in-Chief -Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Distinguished Teaching Professor-UT Southwestern Medical Center, Founding Partner-Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute, rhinoplasty operation, teaching the next generation of medical and Plastic Surgery leaders, plastic surgery teachers, instructors, guiding healthcare options for consumers that will produce the best care, "Best care through discovery and innovation." Dr. Rod Rohrich twitter, facebook, linkedin, google |
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Rod
J. Rohrich, MD