A native of Sarajevo who has been in America for 24 years speaks for Moja BiH about life, family, repeated specialization in neurosurgery, and how a modest ambition has resulted in a significant organization of people that gathers our intellectuals, artists, scientists, professors...
Dear viewers, best regards! It's time to socialize as part of the Moja BiH show. In the next few minutes, you will meet another successful Bosnian and Herzegovinian who lives and works far from his homeland. I must say that it is about Sarajevo. The origin of his parents is from Travnik. You have built an impressive career in America, and what is certainly interesting is that you are known as Dr. A from Bosnia. Is that what characterizes you the most?
Well, it is. Since my surname is, otherwise, our surnames are a bit difficult for Americans to pronounce and immediately take into their vocabulary and accept, then they try to shorten them. When I came to Memphis 15 years ago and started working there, someone called me Dr. And because he tried to shorten that last name, which was difficult for them to pronounce, and then everyone accepted it, and it never bothered me. And then, of course, for years, since all my colleagues from the clinic were already in Sarajevo and came with me, Bosnia is already a well-known topic at our clinic. Doctor A from Bosnia comes now as the most normal thing.
Can they say Dr. Kenan Arnautovic?
They know, they know. They learned it's not that difficult, but for the patients, let's say the normal world, who come to be treated, they always hesitate a little so as not to offend me, so they say, "Can I call you as everyone calls you Dr. A?". Of course, I say, you can.
The guest already mentioned to us that he works in Memphis; we also mentioned neurosurgery; however, we did not say, and I would like to say right at the beginning that you are the founder of the Bosnian Academy of Sciences and Arts. What is interesting is that precisely through the establishment of such an organization, you are contributing to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is. Ten years ago, a colleague and friend, Professor Hadžikadić, and I met in Sarajevo, in a cafe - I think it's called Metropolis - and we talked about founding an organization of our people that would bring together our intellectuals, artists, scientists, professors, etc. in America to hang out, etc. I could never have dreamed that such a modest ambition would grow into such a significant organization that includes several hundred successful professors, artists, intellectuals, and professionals in America, which has done so much for the advancement of science, education, art, etc. in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now that I have finished my presidency and other duties, I am just an ordinary member. However, I am so proud when I see this younger generation that is now in the leadership of that organization, who are much better than us and are doing even better things. So I am proud to watch it, and I am proud to participate as an ordinary member in the various projects that this organization offers and maintains.
How long have you been in America?
I have been in America for 24 years. I had to repeat my specialization in neurosurgery there because only the specializations you completed in America are recognized there. It doesn't matter if you completed your specialization in Germany England, Bosnia, Albania, or Kosovo. They only recognize American ones. So I had to repeat my residency in neurosurgery, and then when I finished that, I started working.
However, you were persistent in your goal, even though, in a way, you were repeating what you were already doing.
When I went to specialization the second time, I understood it as a new possibility, where I did not repeat something I already knew but tried to do something I had not learned in neurosurgery. So when I finished, I was very competitive. Many big houses offered me a job—neurosurgical houses, clinics. I was also happy to be in that selection. It is difficult to explain when you are offered a contract by a well-known clinic and you do not know where it would be best for you, because it is not only what you see being done at that clinic but also how much that clinic can contribute to building your professional career. I thought for so long whether to stay in Little Rock, where they offered me to stay, where the greatest surgeons in the world and my teachers were, but then I realized that it was best to go to Memphis. The climate suited me, and I saw that I had a chance to develop my career there. So I'm glad I made that choice. That city and that clinic helped me a lot to become what I have become and to learn, improve, and improve my abilities and my qualities every day.
Hypothetically, if you received an offer from Bosnia and Herzegovina, would you seriously consider returning?
Well, I would like to tell you that, as you can see, we constantly return to Bosnia, we live there, and we visit our relatives and friends for part of the year. We cooperate with colleagues. Especially now that we have achieved a career, that we have become what we have become. You know, now we are not very interested in any titles, nor building a career, because it has already been built, nor nome because it is already built. It would not be impossible to consider such an offer. Hypothetically speaking, of course, but I don't think about it. One more thing to say. I have seen that many young neurosurgeons have the desire and need to come to America to become familiar with the American neurosurgery system. I have always dreamed of going to America one day, where the best neurosurgery in the world is performed, the most advanced, with the best technical equipment, etc. I dreamed of going there; that wish came true, and that's how I ended up. However, then I saw how much difficulty I had when I was a young neurosurgeon to find someone who would be my connection there, who would enable me to do that. Then ten years ago I founded an international (sub)specialization program at my clinic, which is called a fellowship in English. In the past ten years, 35 young neurosurgeons or older medical students who have the desire to become neurosurgeons have been my fellows, my guest students, whatever you want. It's incredible, those 35 people, mostly from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Germany, and Russia. These young people are incredible. When I look at them now, when they returned to their clinics and home organizations, how long was their stay, not only with me but with my colleagues? Familiarization with the whole system helped them develop their careers, make their clinics successful clinics, introduce new technologies, etc. So I'm proud when I come to, say, Osijek, Zagreb, Sarajevo, or Mostar, when I see my young colleagues who have so beautifully applied some of the knowledge that they acquired there.
It is a characteristic of the truly rare to share what they know, that is, to share their knowledge with those who are truly ready to absorb. I also want to ask you about your family. Live in Memphis, tradition in the house, culture. How much has been preserved of the Bosnian one? As far as I can see from talking to you, you are truly a Bosnian and Herzegovinian, regardless of where you live.
I have two daughters and a wife. The daughters left home, in the sense that they went to study. The older daughter completed her medical degree at George Washington University, and there in Washington, D.C., she specializes in surgery, her third year of specialization. He loves it very much and wants to become a plastic surgeon one day. We'll see what works. She lives in Washington. The younger daughter is currently enrolled in the same medical school at George Washington University; I don't know what she will specialize in one day, but they live there. Of course, they have a Bosnian identity. As we say, Bosnian-American identity, where identities do not fight each other, but the advantages of multiculturalism are used to make people richer. Both speak our language most normally. This younger one, who was born there, has a slight accent, so you can tell that she is not from Sarajevo. This older woman, who was born in Sarajevo, speaks with a Sarajevo accent. I think if you listened to her, you wouldn't be able to tell that she hadn't lived here long. He even uses our Sarajevo slang, "so you see now" or something like that. It surprises me sometimes.
Thank you for your time.
(https://mojabih.oslobodjenje.ba/)
English
Bosanski
