At the age of 30, Dr. Liu decided law was not for him. By the mid '90s, he had completed his medical residency, and at the age of 40, he became a full-time attending. "I became a physician because I believe I can make a greater contribution to the betterment of mankind as a physician than as an attorney, plain and simple," Dr. Liu says. Now, eleven years after making the decision to switch careers, he is the Chief of Gynecologic Oncology and Medical Director at South Nassau Communities Hospital in New York.
"I absolutely made the right decision to pursue a career in medicine. In my role as a cancer surgeon, I have positively impacted many patients' lives," Dr. Liu proudly says. "I can't change the world we live in, but I can make things better that are within my reach."
On top of everything else, Dr. Liu also teaches on the side at different institutions and has done so for over ten years.
"I believe it's my responsibility to teach not only science and medicine, but also how to be compassionate and caring. I take a lot of pride in teaching my patients," Liu says. "Almost universally, my patients are very knowledgeable of their disease. Knowledge is empowerment, and I try to empower my patients to balance the sense of helplessness and even sometimes hopelessness."
Dr. Liu hopes to educate his patients on the importance of their situations, and he is enthusiastic about how much good he has done so far.
"So far I have performed over 2000 surgeries and have impacted many patients' lives in a way that [I have] never imagined," he says with pride. "As a cancer surgeon, my work is very taxing physically and emotionally. It is not easy, but I made a commitment to myself from the outset to always give everything I got. The day that stops is the day I should retire."
Dr. Liu says in 2003 he received national recognition for his work with an ovarian cancer patient. The woman was able to give birth after having the cancer, and it was the first case of its kind in the U.S. There was even a special about it on the Discovery Channel. The patient ended up having not one baby, but twins!
"The patient and the twins are alive and well today," he updates. "The 26th of this month will be five years of survival for the patient, and the twins are 27 months old."
Dr. Liu credits his parents for the positive influences they had on him. "My father came to the U.S. as an illegal alien," Dr. Liu explains. His father came through Niagara Falls on a bus and didn't even have a visa at the time.
"I came to the U.S. at the age of 15, not speaking a single word of English. People often ask me, 'What was harder, law school or med school?' My response is 'high school.'"
Dr. Liu explains that the transition of learning a new language was a difficult one but that it taught him a lot. He worked hard in high school and shortly thereafter was accepted into Cornell University, a prestigious Ivy League institution
Dr. Liu says that he would encourage students to enter the healthcare industry "without reservations because it is a [growing industry], and there will be many employment opportunities in the future; [it gives one] the chance of doing something nice for others in the process."
He also says that people thinking about becoming a doctor should do it for the right reasons. "[Medicine] is about helping others; it is about healing; and it is about making a difference. Do not choose medicine because of the money," Dr. Liu emphasizes. "We don't need [individuals who do it just for the money]. As a matter of fact, the system is indirectly screening those individuals out."
Dr. Liu, a classic rock music fan, enjoys spending his free time playing golf and spending time with his three kids ranging from ages 11 to 15. He indicates that he hopes his kids will be successful and make a name for themselves.
"My children and the young doctors who I train are my legacy for the future, and I am very proud of my work," he says.
