During interviews with candidates applying for facial surgery fellowships (who, temporarily, become an integral member of the fellowship director’s staff), I like to ask if the candidate enjoyed courses in psychology and clinical rotations in psychiatry. If candidates indicate that they did not enjoy those courses of study, I suggest that a career in facial surgery may not be their best choice, certainly not one that focuses on elective aesthetic surgery.

The most successful facial surgeons I know enjoy the nurturing part of the care they provide. They genuinely enjoy personal interaction with the patients and work toward establishing long-term, professional relationships with the families and friends of patients. On more occasions than one might imagine, a family or friend comes with a patient for a single purpose: to size up the surgeon. Nurturing the patient’s circle of supporters often translates to one or more of them scheduling surgery.

Here I pause to share another teaching point, one that I emphasize the first day a new fellow is “on the job.” Just before the fellow and I go into the consultation room to see a new patient, I turn to the fellow and ask, “Why are we going in to see this patient? What is our primary objective?”

In one way or another, most fellows answer, “To schedule the patient for a procedure.” This is my opportunity to imbue an indelible mark into the mind of the aspiring facial surgeon. I answer, “The correct answer is to establish a relationship of mutual trust. Once such a relationship is solidified, the patient will trust my recommendations and generally go forward with what is recommended, today and for decades to come.” I will provide more on the art of the consultation with patients seeking to enhance their appearance later.