Abstract

Over 100 years ago, to become a master of cabinet making, in addition to your ­handicraft years, you had to enlist at the Academy of Fine Arts for half a year. Why is it not necessary for Esthetic Surgery? Medicine and medical education used to be based on anatomy and morphology. Whereas dimensions have become smaller, biochemistry is dominating most areas of medicine now. While this was beneficial for patients and doctors alike, specialists in morphologic disciplines like general, traumatologic, reconstructive, maxillofacial and esthetic surgery feel a deficit. A deficit in morphology as well as haptic and artistic qualities. This deficit is subtle. Some colleagues learn these qualities “on the job”. They may make a sketch to educate the patient, may become artists choosing the “right” implant for a given patient or giving good counsil when planning a rhytidectomy. But these qualities are rarely taught as subjects in their own right. Gustav Sauser, prof for Anatomy and Histology at Innsbruck and Vienna, propagated his Anatomic Modelling Course, stressing the importance of touch, feeling and observing anatomical forms. Oskar Kokoschka approached the problem for the general public that an educated Central Eurpean knows too much, but does not feel enough. So he founded the School of Vision (“Schule des Sehens”). An artist’s approach to life as well as to surgery will improve results considerably in morphologic surgical specialities. Our course is to propagate these qualities and help colleagues.