Innovation and Discovery on Surgery, History and Humanities

Great advances in a medical or surgical discipline originate from courageous and unabashed, committed professionals who are fearless in exploring new avenues of management or treatment. Great advances in the chosen field are dependent on those who think and practice innovation and discovery. Great advances in selected or wide areas of medicine or surgery are the response of long-term, dedicated professionals who believe in principles of innovation and discovery.

To innovate or to discover can become a more frequently sought out process if surgeons or other specialists advance their knowledge to include novel concepts throughout their professional exercise. Awareness of innovation or discovery represents the most important step toward reaching the heights of these conceptual ways of viewing the practice of medicine or surgery.

To think of innovation or discovery is to begin the path of accepting challenges and new developments when practicing medicine or surgery. The advice for young and mature surgeons alike would be to innovate whenever you can, to discover wherever possible. Advance your knowledge and maintain your innovative spirit. Keeping your activities in tune with innovative or discovery ideas creates the right spirit for advancing medicine or surgery.

Innovation and discovery are unique and worth pursuing. Creating the environment for them to flourish is the responsibility of the clinical or basic science specialist. Innovation and discovery are in our minds. Do not let time pass by and start innovating and discovering today. There is no time to waste. Enjoy your path as the innovator and/or discoverer of the future!

Luis H. Toledo-Pereyra Surgeon, Researcher and Educator. He is the author and editor of 21 books. His books, Vignettes on Surgery, History and Humanities, Origins of the Knife, A History of American Medicine and most recently Reminiscences on Surgery, History and Humanities, have been introduced as the standard textbooks for the course of the History of American Medicine that he has been teaching for 19 years at Western Michigan University.