b'PuProfessor Pu, could we begin by talking about your journeyin medicine? As a Chinese physician raised within the NorthAmerican mainstream medical system, youve inevitablyencountered situationsovert or subtlewhere foreign medical graduates are not fully welcomed. In those moments,how did you talk to yourself, and how did you persevere? DR. PU:If I had to summarize my career, it has really been a contin- uous process of laying foundations and building bridges. To be candid, early in my career there were indeed biases and pre- conceived notions. But in plastic surgery, results ultimately speakthe loudest. I made a few rules for myself. First, do not wrestle with emotions, wres- tle with standards. I would ask myself: In patient safety, surgical outcome,and team collaboration, have I reached the highest standard expected here? Second, always prioritize the patient over personal ego. When your attention is fully on the patient, many unnecessary comparisons nat-urally fade away. Third, practice long-term. A medical career is a marathon overdecades, not a single exam. If you move forward professionally, evenstep by step, time will speak on your behalf. What has motivated you to devote so much time to serving the academic community? DP:Medicine has never been something that one individual or onecountry can accomplish alone.Chinese plastic surgeons around the world occupy a very uniqueposition: on one hand, we have a deeper understanding of Asian anat- omy and aesthetics; on the other, we have worked in mainstreamlocal healthcare systems for many years and know how to translategood experience into standards that are acceptable to internationalpeers. If this group can be connected through a strong, stable plat- form, it will ultimately benefit patients worldwide.Many young Chinese doctors are interested in North American training and international platforms. If you were to give them three actionable pieces of advice, what would they be?DP:First, build a solid foundation in general surgery and medicine in general. Whether in reconstruction or aesthetics, the patient is first and foremost a person with overall medical issues, and only secondarily someone with a local area to be adjusted. Your ability to manage the whole patient determines how complex a procedure you can safely perform.110 BALLIET + WANG LUXURY LIVING'