Pat Sylla on being better

Surgeons’ Lives - Stuff that Matters

Dr. Pat Sylla is the current Division Chief of Colon and rental Surgery in Mount Sinai in New York.

She was born in Paris, grew up in the Ivory Coast in West Africa, and went to college and medical school in the US. She also completed her residency and fellowships in colorectal surgery and minimally invasive surgery.

She's probably best known as one of the great innovators in surgical technique, including TaTME which she developed while in Boston at MGH.

Because of her cosmopolitan background, she has a world view on some of the issues facing surgeons, women, and indeed herself as she reflects on how she can give back to the world that formed her as a young child.

During this fascinating interview, she describes how her first experience of finding a mentor was a complete failure, and how she has managed the challenges of being a black surgeon, female, and with a funny accent as well.

She's been hugely successful in the world of surgical academia and subspecialties societies having recently completed a highly successful year as president of SAGES while spending as much time as possible with her two growing boys - is there nothing she cannot do we ask ourselves.

This interview is appearing on her 50th birthday, which should give you some idea of how extraordinarily successful she has been in a relatively short period of time.

Of course, if you prefer to watch rather than listen, the entire interview is available on Youtube as usual.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-sylla-md-facs-fascrs-540487240/

https://health.usnews.com/doctors/patricia-sylla-588117

https://x.com/patsyllamd