Embrace your medical profession as a vocation, then it will come easily to you

Leonid Ladyshensij is a senior consultant at the Clinic for Vascular Surgery in Erzgebirgsklinikum Annaberg Haus, Annaberg-Buchholz, Germany.
 

Please tell us your story, what is the most important thing for you to achieve the goal of becoming a professional in your field?
The goal is the main tool in professional development. The scenery may change, but the goal never does.

As a vascular surgeon, do you consider it important that gastroenterologists and vascular surgeons collaborate to solve common gastroenterological problems as, for example, abdominal ischemic syndrome?
Of course, this disease is difficult to diagnose and manage. Its diagnosis and cure require close interaction between different specialists from different fields. 
I believe that one of the ways to achieve this is through peer-to-peer education of doctors, complemented by interdisciplinary consultations. For example, this can be reached by studying the relevant scientific literature and attending conferences and congresses where various pathologies are discussed that require the involvement of interdisciplinary teams.

What advice would you give to young doctors at the start of their careers?
First, no matter how banal it may sound, never give up. Regardless of all circumstances and factors – just never give up. Second, try to split your learning into three phases. Phase one is learning from someone else's experience (textbooks, monographs, scientific journals, senior colleagues). Phase two is based on obtaining your own experience, and it can be acquired only by fearless and active clinical work. I would call the third phase innovative. It means, in addition to the received experience, you need to develop your scientific research and your own modifications of already known forms of diagnostic and management. In the end, it is worth accepting medical activity as a vocation, and then it will become easy and successful!