title: Perspectives on the profession.
abstract: In his presidential address to the Southwestern Surgical Congress, he examines surgery as a profession from three different perspectives: his experience as a patient, a surgeon, and a photographer. He uses photography to illustrate the importance of perspective and illumination. He respectfully suggests that we should consciously choose to reframe the profession from a different perspective that accurately reflects its beauty. He also advises that we take effort to shine a gentle, soft light on the profession, a light that will reveal the beauty, the true beauty, of the profession. And finally, he submits that it is our responsibility to consciously and faithfully maintain and defend the profession from enemies inside and outside its borders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, University Hospital, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7840, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; University Health System, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ronald M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D003226:Congresses as Topic; D013502:General Surgery; D006801:Humans; D010781:Photography; D011364:Professional Practice; D012955:Societies, Medical; D014481:United States
keywords: Perspective; Photography; Profession; Professionalism; Surgery