Doctor Follows Footsteps of Childhood Idols
When Dr. Bruce Achauer was in junior high school, he worked in his father’s pharmacy, waiting on customers and watching his father fill prescriptions. This experience, along with his interest in science and math, led him to decide, at age 13, to become a doctor.
“Everyone in our town looked up to doctors. They were respected and I wanted to be able to help people like they did,” said Achauer, 51.
Today he is one of Southern California’s most prominent plastic surgeons, specializing in the treatment of burn patients and the use of lasers in plastic surgery.
After graduating from Stanford University in 1963, Achauer entered Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Upon completing medical school in 1967, he embarked on an internship at San Francisco General Hospital. “It was hard at that point to choose a specialty because I liked every field of medicine. I had a surgeon’s skills and temperament, but didn’t enjoy general surgery,” he said.
But later in his internship, Achauer spent time in the hospital’s burn unit and observed plastic surgeons reconstructing disfigured patients. It was then he decided to make plastic surgery his field.
“Plastic surgery is precise and creative and the reconstructive cases are all unique and difficult. Each presents a new challenge,” Achauer said. “I am also able to develop a long-term relationship with my patients. Some of the reconstructive patients have been under my care for decades, from childhood to adulthood.”
Achauer was called upon to reconstruct the face and body of 6-year-old David Rothenberg (now David Jordan Robinson) after he was set afire by his father in a Buena Park motel room in 1983. For the past 14 years, Achauer has served as director of the Burn Center at the UCI Medical Center in Orange. His work at UCI’s Beckman Laser Institute has made him Orange County’s leading expert in the use of lasers in plastic surgery.
“I would encourage anyone who chooses medicine to create your own specialty. It is a competitive field, but there are many needs to fill,” Achauer said.
OCCUPATION: Surgeon
* What’s involved: Physicians and surgeons treat patients in a variety of settings, including clinics, hospitals and private offices. They diagnose illnesses, prescribe treatment and perform surgery according to patient needs.
* Qualifications: In addition to obtaining a medical degree, physicians and surgeons must complete seven to eight years of residency work in their chosen specialty. After that they must pass written and oral examinations to become licensed.
* Prospects: One of the fastest-growing job fields in Orange County.
* Outlook: By 1998, the number of physicians and surgeons is projected to increase by 10.2% to 3,570.
* Salary range: Beginning physicians and surgeons earn about $85,000 a year. Those with established practices can earn more than $150,000 a year.
* Pros: Physicians and surgeons report a high level of satisfaction in being able to restore patients’ health or appearance through treatment and surgery. They also have numerous options within the broad field of medicine to conduct research and develop expertise.
* Cons: Medicine is a highly competitive field requiring at least 12 or more years of college. Aspiring doctors must then compete for residencies and score well on board exams. The field requires a great deal of effort, dedication and financial expenditure to become established.
* Advancement: After completing training, physicians and surgeons may opt to join a group practice or open their own office, where they would work to establish a reputation and increase the number of patients. Another option is working within an HMO setting, where they may advance to administrative positions. In addition to treating patients, many physicians and surgeons teach part time at medical schools. Some eventually become full-time professors or medical school administrators.
* Quote: “About half of my practice is devoted to children, especially those who have been burned or born with serious deformities, such as a cleft palate. It’s incredibly rewarding to be able use my training and talents to give to people in this way. Deformities used to affect people for life, but it is possible to transform them.”
--Dr. Bruce Achauer
Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times
