I love being a surgeon and would never consider doing anything else. Every day is new and exciting thanks to the people I work with and the great satisfaction I get from seeing my patients do well.

I always wanted to be a doctor. Perhaps my grandfather, who had a brain tumor and was treated successfully at a major New York City hospital, was my inspiration. The people who cared for him, the impression they left, and the wonders of the hospital prompted me to become a doctor.

I trained in general surgery and meant to become a heart surgeon. However, I met Dr. Frank Veith, one of the great vascular surgeons of my generation, and I knew I wanted to be like him. He was the one who taught me about importance of the vascular system and how diseases of the vascular system affect the entire body.

I perform vascular and endovascular surgery, including aortic surgery, to treat people with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease, carotid disease, and venous disease. I make sure to treat every person as if he or she is my family member. I’ve always applied the “Golden” rule—“do unto others what you would want done to you”—to my practice.

I don’t recommend surgery often—in fact, I do everything I can to avoid surgery unless it is absolutely necessary. I am proud that my team can take care of most people using medications and minimally invasive procedures. Many of my patients really do become a part of my family, as I care for them for many years.