So far you’ve all had the chance to get to know a little bit about our past interns in our intern spotlight series. We’ve introduced Lila and Hiroki, but now we’d like to introduce you to George. An Augusta, Georgia native and a current 4th year osteopathic medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – GA Campus, George has been a great addition to the Southern Plastic Surgery (SPS) family during the duration of his medical internship. It’s always great to have interns that are dedicated, focused and hard-working in regards to making the most of their internship and being proactive in their learning; and George is no exception!
What made you choose a career in medicine? I grew up in a medical household. My father is an osteopathic physician, my mother is a registered nurse practitioner, and I’ve just always sort of been drawn towards medicine. In fact, when I was around 8 years old I dressed up as a doctor for Halloween and my mother never let me forget it!
What’s your favorite memory so far? Among many great memories, Dr. Whiteman’s staff is tremendous. Great people, great at what they do.
Describe your internship in ONE word. Fascinating.
What skills have you learned that you think will be most valuable in your medical field? Steady hands – invaluable in medicine.
What’s been the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far during your internship? Never leave the office until all of the work is done. You’ll just have more to do tomorrow.
What’s the best thing about interning with Dr. Whiteman? Dr. Whiteman tries to come across as the “tough professor” in the beginning of the internship, but by the end we all know he’s just a big teddy bear. Seriously, he is an excellent doctor and teacher, and he doesn’t accept a job performance less than well done.
What’s been the biggest challenge? Managing time – without a doubt; there never seems to be enough, does there?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Practicing medicine and somewhere on a beach or a golf course.
When George isn’t finessing his plastic surgery surgical skills, in hopes of one day specializing in Internal Medicine, he leads a very active lifestyle here in Atlanta and is quite the renaissance man (fun fact about George: he taught himself how to play five different instruments with only the help of the internet – and he’ll eagerly share that this was back in the days of dial-up!).
Hobbies: I have a wide variety of hobbies. Sports, music and good food/beverage are pretty close to the top of the list.
Favorite movie: Tommy Boy. Don’t judge me; it’s a classic from my childhood.
Do you have a personal motto? Always be better than the guy before you, and make it extremely difficult for the guy after you.
If you didn’t practice medicine, what would you do professionally instead? I’ve always wanted to open a restaurant. Maybe someday further on down the road…
Favorite weekend activity in Atlanta: A day at the park with my dog, Murphy.
Pick one: breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner? Brunch!
Everyone at the office has enjoyed George’s time here and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors! Check back next month as we feature our next SPS intern feature. Feel free to also contact Southern Plastic Surgery, P.C. with any questions you may have about our practice or cosmetic procedures. You can also stay connected with me, Dr. David Whiteman, on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.