Magic and Medicine (The extraordinary journey of a vascular surgeon, Peter Gloviczki)

Dr. Peter Gloviczki's extraordinary journey took him from the city of Nyíregyháza in northeastern Hungary to the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, the Uni­ted States. It was a journey that demanded hard work, determination, discipline, confidence, persistence, and resolve - but above all, talent. His is an inspirational story about the power of dreams and the quest for self-fulfillment. At the age of 14, Peter Gloviczki became the nation's favorite "little magician", one of the winners of the first televised "Hungary's Got Talent" show. He then spent four formative years at the Benedictine High School of Pannonhalma, never losing sight of his childhood ambition to become a surgeon. He graduated from university with flying colors, earning the highest possible grades throughout his studies. He continued to shine at Budapest's Városmajor Clinic, meanwhile traveling the world to perform in magic shows and competitions. In 1971, he won the Grand Prix in Vancouver; in 1973, he was awarded silver medal in the Magic World Championship in Paris; and in 1978, he won gold in Tokyo. He was then faced with a dilemma: Medicine or magic? Despite the huge temptation, he chose to pursue a career in medicine, although magic remains a hobby of his to this day. He was awarded a scholarship to Mayo Clinic, and in 1981 he emigrated to the U.S. Through enormous commitment, and at the cost of repeating years of training, he achieved the position of Chair, Division of Vascular Surgery and Director, Gonda Vascular Center at Mayo Clinic. He was elected president of the Society for Vascular Surgery and was awarded an honorary doctorate by Semmelweis University, Budapest. After performing over 10,000 operations, he retired in 2016 but continues to contribute to the world of medical science. He is currently editor-in-chief of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. Throughout his distinguished career he has never forgotten his roots in Hungary, or the debt of gratitude that he owes to his native country.