“In the beginner’s mind, there are many possibilities; in the expert’s mind, there are few.”
- Shunryu Suzuki
There is a tendency to think of expertise as something fixed – a point reached after years of study and practice.
In reality, mastery is sustained through continual exchange.
This year, I am pleased to welcome Dr Hardip Gendeh from Kuala Lumpur as our new Sydney Facial Plastic Surgery Fellow. Hardip joins us for a year of advanced training in facial plastic surgery, alongside our current Fellow, Dr Andres Rosenbaum, and Dr Nicholas Campion, our Sydney Rhinology Fellow from the United Kingdom.
Hosting Fellows is one of the most rewarding aspects of surgical practice.
While Fellows come to refine advanced techniques, their presence brings fresh questions and international perspectives. Teaching sharpens judgement. Discussion challenges assumptions. Observation encourages reflection.
The flow of knowledge is never one-directional.
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The same spirit continues beyond Sydney. In March, I will serve as faculty at the Preservation Rhinoplasty meeting in Nice, France, and in September will attend the annual meeting of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), held in Las Vegas.
Remaining engaged in these forums ensures that surgical practice does not become static. Techniques evolve. Evidence develops. Philosophies refine.
My own career has been shaped by this exchange.
In 1995, I became one of the first Australians selected for Advanced Fellowship training with the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery through the competitive American “Match” program. Training in North America at that time exposed me to subspecialised facial plastic surgery at a level not widely available in Australia.
When I returned to Sydney in 1999, I made a deliberate decision to practise exclusively in the field of facial plastic surgery. Over the past 27 years, that focus has narrowed further to two principal areas:
- Facial aesthetic procedures – particularly deep plane face and neck lift surgery (rhytidectomy) and browlift surgery (browplasty).
- Rhinoplasty – including both primary and revision surgery.
Focusing on these areas has allowed a depth of refinement that would not be possible across a broader surgical scope.
Mastery, I have learned, does not come from doing everything. It comes from sustained focus combined with ongoing openness to learning.
For patients considering facial plastic surgery, this philosophy matters. Experience provides stability and judgement. Continued involvement in Fellowship training and international collaboration ensures contemporary thinking and thoughtful evolution.
Adopting a Zen approach means remaining open – whether mentoring a Fellow, presenting at an international conference, or meeting a patient for the first time.
Excellence in surgery is not static.
It is cultivated.
Find Out More
If you’re considering Deep Plane Face and Neck Lift Surgery – or simply exploring your options – please book a consultation (with a referral from your GP). I’ll provide you with a thorough, honest, and personalised assessment.
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All surgeries on this page are performed by Dr George Marcells and are published with the consent of his patients.
There is no guarantee that your results will be similar as surgical outcomes vary. All content on our page is general in nature and does not imply a guarantee of similar outcomes or act in substitute of professional medical advice.
Any surgery or invasive procedure carries inherent risks and has recovery time. For more information, please see our website www.drgeorgemarcells.com.au.
Dr Marcells is a Specialist Head and Neck Surgeon, expert in Facial Plastic Surgery FRACS
(Registration: MED0001133270)
