The mentors that have made the most lasting impact on my life and career are the ones who were the hardest on me. Because they expected a lot I was motivated to earn their respect. My mentor in plastic surgery who was almost like a father figure to me in training was the very hard nosed and nationally respected Dr. Edward Luce. I think anyone who has trained for a long time to be great at something can relate to this – athletes come to mind. The “attagirls” are so worth the long hours and extra preparation. Now those “attagirl” moments are the smiles on my patients faces when they come back after surgery.