Every patient lying on the operating table knows that they are placing their physical integrity and life in the hands of a person who wields absolute power over them: the surgeon. The profession of a surgeon is one of the most stressful, similar to that of a pilot. Surgeons and pilots statistically have a reduced life expectancy compared to other professions.

In my fifty-three years of surgical life, there has not been a single day without stress. After every successful surgery - especially if it is very difficult and complex - the success fills you with endorphins (hormones of happiness). When you save a patient's life, you feel like a little God. In the eyes of the patient and their relatives, you see immense gratitude and profound respect. You are their Savior! Many times they kiss your hands because they believe it is those hands that perform the surgery. However, the truth is that it is done under the guidance of the mind.

With the main resource of the vast experience I have gained over these years, I will try to outline without idealizations the true portrait of a surgeon, to demonstrate their role in the Medical Science of our time, and to refer to their relationship with society.