The 2003 Aba Presidential Address

I am humbled by the honor bestowed upon me to serve as the President of the American Burn Association (ABA). For me, it is the ultimate achievement in a career that started, as with most burn doctors of my generation, as a matter of circumstance and opportunity rather than a matter of choice. Having fallen into the field, however, I must state that I am fortunate and proud to have had the pleasure of working as a member of what I consider the only true “team” in medicine—the burn team. FIGURE With that introduction, I must take a few moments to thank some very special people who have invested time and patience in me and my career and with whom I share the honor of the presidency. I have had the good fortune to work under several master surgeons who guided my career and opened doors for me. My interest in burn care was inspired by Dr. Roger Sherman, my Chairman of Surgery at the University of South Florida in Tampa. One of his favorite expressions, and one which I use frequently with my residents, was “I can teach a monkey to operate, but I can't teach him how to think.” With those words, he stimulated the thinking process in several generations of surgery residents.