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T.S.: What would be your advice for a young urologist, who wants to have a successful career in both clinical practice and in the academic field also?
M.R.: Hm, it is a tricky question. What do you mean when you say successful? So, I would say our success can only be measured in one way, that it is to do your best for your patients. That’s the only way of measuring your success. So, if I have to give an advice for being successful in your career, which means you will take care of your patients and you will do that in the best way you can, you should have passion for the work you do. Without believing and without having passion for what you do, it’s impossible to do it. I will tell you that you should respect your patients. For me, success means to respect your patients and to respect the work you do. I think that, honestly, we are not here for impact factors or for being at the stage giving a big lecture. We are here for taking care of patients. So, this will be a real measure of your career, that you do a good surgery, that you train in surgery, that you do a good job, that you know when to indicate the surgery. And then, once you have done this you can cultivate other ideas, like research, like publishing. But if there is no content in all these things that you do, then it has no meaning. So, if you publish a lot, if you are a super good speaker on stage, but there is nothing behind, then perhaps you look like “successful”, but you are not. My main message is respecting your patients and do your best for them.
T.S.: Would you suggest Spain to someone who would like to do a residency or fellowship program in Urology?
M.R.: I have to say, Spain has an amazing training system, not just in Urology, but in all of medicine. It's highly regarded internationally, and I take a lot of pride in that. The training here strikes a perfect balance between practical experience and research, covering all the important aspects. There are plenty of top-notch centers in Spain, and I feel incredibly fortunate and honored to be working in one of them. So, if you're looking to learn and grow, Spain is definitely the place to be. Just keep in mind that language could be a factor, as our patients primarily speak Spanish. But overall, there are numerous hospitals across the country with outstanding fellowship programs that can provide you with an incredible learning experience.
T.S.: Except from the Chair of the EAU Guidelines Office, you are also a very famous Urologist in the field of Uro-Oncology. So, the next questions are going to be focused on that theme. What was the driving force, that led you to the subspecialty of uro-oncology?
M.R.: I have to admit that, probably, the first thing that attracted me is that I was in love with major oncological surgery. This is true. I am really glad to say, that I have been able to evolve in major oncological surgery. Because when I started my training, it was mainly open
Tεύχος 24 | Ioύλιος-Αύγουστος 2023
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