Lina Triana, MD - COLOMBIA
ISAPS Past President (2022–2024),
and Mentor Program Chair  

We are thrilled to unveil the revitalization of the ISAPS Mentor Program, now led by the esteemed Dr. Lina Triana as Program Chair. With her expertise and vision, the program will provide invaluable guidance and support to Resident and Associate Members, presenting a unique opportunity to enhance skills, broaden knowledge, and forge meaningful international connections through a comprehensive mentorship experience. Explore the advantages of this approach, including valuable insights into the significance of effective leadership

ISAPS: Why is the Mentor Program so beneficial for young career surgeons?  

TRIANA: With ISAPS Mentor Program we have created a structured mentorship program that gives young surgeons the possibility of starting or enhancing a long-term career plan that goes beyond technical skills, providing professional guidance and international connections in clinical responsibilities, research, teaching, practice management, leadership and much more; where the young surgeon as a mentee will go hand by hand with an experienced ISAPS member as mentor.

ISAPS: Why is it so important for ISAPS to invest in the next generation of plastic surgeons? 

TRIANA: Young surgeons are the future of our specialty. ISAPS is committed to supporting the next generation towards excellence, facilitating aesthetic education based on patient safety towards enhancing our plastic surgery standards and supporting them towards leading our aesthetic world. They are our future leaders.

ISAPS: As a leader, what advice do you have for young career surgeons, and what qualities are essential to be successful in aesthetic plastic surgery? 

TRIANA: I do not believe in molds or in following a winners list to be successful. Success starts by leading ourselves, by taking action towards something bigger than us, our patients, our specialty. Set your goal, your purpose under this condition, and remember when things are not going the way we expect, it is time to exercise leadership, not only in plastic surgery but in all aspects of our lives.

If you want a change in your life, in our plastic surgery world, get out of your automatic way of living, where only more of the same happens. Take some minutes and see if you can envision yourself living in "judging mode", another way of living our lives, or living from the stands, meaning: I am here and everything else is out there, by living my life like this I am living in "judging mode" and in judging mode nothing new happens.

Actually, when I was young, I loved to criticize what plastic surgery societies did, but did nothing else, just criticize, I was living my life in "judging mode", and it was not until I discovered that to really make changes I needed to switch to "action mode", that I started to get involved in leadership positions in scientific societies, because the way to make things happen is in action mode, the way leaders live.

I invite all young surgeons to live for something bigger than themselves, their specialty, to get into "action mode" and start seeking leadership positions in ISAPS, this is how leaders lead.

Learn more about how you can become a leader and visit the ISAPS website to explore all opportunities for personal growth and career advancement, including:

⮞ ISAPS Residents Program 
🠺 Mentor 🠺 Fellowship 🠺 Expert
⮞ ISAPS L.I.F.T. Program
⮞ ISAPS Community Café
⮞ ISAPS Academy - coming soon!