The True Legacy of a Physician: Teaching, Mentoring, Leading – an Interview With Prof Jean-Pierre Michel
- secretariat012
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Authors & Interviewers: Zelal Şahin Tırnova & Ezgi Pınar
Affiliations: Istanbul University, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Department of Geriatrics, Istanbul, Türkiye
The word professor comes from the Latin profiteri — to declare openly, to teach, to guide. In medicine, regardless of specialty, becoming a good physician is never a solitary journey. It is shaped through mentorship: through teachers who not only share knowledge, but also values, curiosity, and a way of thinking.
In modern medicine, being a professor goes far beyond clinical excellence or diagnostic skills. It also means training future physicians, opening paths, and helping others grow. Prof. Jean‑Pierre Michel embodies this role in its fullest sense.
Throughout his career in internal medicine and geriatrics, Prof. Michel has cared for and improved the lives of thousands of patients. Equally importantly, he has dedicated decades to educating physicians and shaping the future of geriatric medicine. As a co-founder of the Interdisciplinary Gerontology Centre at the University of Geneva and the European Academy for Medicine of Aging (EAMA), he has contributed to the training of generations of geriatricians.
This educational vision extended far beyond Europe. Prof. Michel also co-founded several international academies dedicated to geriatric education, including the Academia Latinoamericana de Medicina del Adulto Mayor (ALMA), the Middle East Academy of Medicine of Ageing (MEAMA), the Asian Academy for Medicine of Ageing (AAMA), and the South East Asia Academy of Geriatrics, fostering global collaboration and leadership in the field.
In this interview, Prof. Michel reflects on mentorship, education, and leadership in geriatrics — reminding us that the true legacy of a physician is not only in the patients they treat, but also in the physicians they help to become.
▶️ Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qpS4xPWDO8
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