Lauren Lior-Liechtenstein's journey from the arts to medicine

Medical doctor Lauren Lior-Liechtenstein is living proof that a person can excel in two different fields.

Lauren earned her Master of Science in Molecular Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Imperial College London, UK. While pursuing her medical studies, she also showcased her talents in dance, winning first place in tap dancing and modern classical jazz competitions, and studied music at the Royal College of Music in London.

As a soprano, Lauren has performed in prestigious venues such as Cadogan Hall, Albert Hall, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She is also a published author, with her book "Remember Never to Forget" available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Today, Lauren is a doctor specializing in General Surgery.

We interviewed Lauren recently and here is that conversation.

Was it challenging to grow up with parents from two different cultures?

As a child of the 80's, I was lucky enough to have a largely analog upbringing, not so much pressure from the outside world. The pressure came from within — to excel at school, to win competitions and debates, to beat my brother Philippe at whatever game we were playing. Our parents pushed us to be the best at whatever we put our minds to. I loved that we were brought up knowing two different cultures and religions, and although the common language at home was always English, we grew up with at least four languages, to varying degrees of fluency.

It also meant that with two sets of grandparents on different sides of the planet, we were able to explore a lot of the world at a young age. My parents were adamant that we learned about different cultures, cuisines, fashion and histories through travel, not just our own heritage.

How did a young woman with achievements in singing as a soprano, winning dance competitions in college, and publishing a book decide to pursue a career in General Surgery?

Although I have always loved singing and dancing, and worked hard to train and hone that artistic side of me, I have also always wanted to be a doctor. That fascination started with plastic stethoscopes as a toddler to being a sickly child in and out of hospital, curious about what her doctors did all day.

So I grew up nurturing both halves — the nerd who worked hard at school and the performer who took master classes at the Royal College of Music and competed in tap dancing.

It wasn't until I started medical school then residency that I realized you can't always do it all, all the time, and that to succeed as a doctor I would have to keep the performer on the sidelines for a bit. She still comes out from time to time, to belt out an aria at dinner parties or during weekly ballet classes to keep moving, so it's about creating that crucial work-life balance.

What were the important life lessons you learned from your parents?

My parents have always instilled in my brother and I the value of perseverance, that you must get up after each and every fall, and not only get up but stand taller. The road to becoming a surgeon was not the straight highway I expected it to be — it was more like a winding path through thick jungle that had to be cut down. So with perseverance also comes resilience, such that every obstacle becomes a challenge to overcome and conquer, and that is how I strive to live my life.

As a doctor what is important to you?

Every doctor has their own raison d'etre, a mantra that they repeat to themselves during dark days of training to get them through. For me, it took my grandmother dying of stage 4 breast cancer to realize that I have the power to prevent more women from that kind of suffering. As a doctor, but more especially as a surgeon, we have the ability and the privilege to literally save someone's life. As a doctor in the Philippines there is still so much to be done in terms of shaping how cancer care and healthcare in general can reach everyone, and this is what drives me to continue.

What drives you to excel in life?

Wanting to be better — whether it's wanting to make surgeries run smoother in the operating room, or give more time to my patients, or help reach more people for breast cancer screening in this country, or even to make my turn out better in ballet class, there is always something to work on. That mindset is something I want to instill in my own family.