ALUMNI FEATURE
THE ARTIST OF SURGERY When Dr. Sam Sukkar was an undergraduate at LSU in the 80s, he never once envisioned for himself a path that led towards plastic surgery. And yet, after 18 years practicing, Sukkar now owns The Clinic for Plastic Surgery in Houston, Tx., and has completed more than 10,000 procedures since. “A plastic surgeon is seen as a master surgeon who is innovative, who can think on his feet, and whom other physicians call on when they need assistance. We know human anatomy from head to toe, and we are often called in to assist on difficult cases with other surgical specialties because of our expertise. “After making this realization, I knew this was the type of physician I wanted to become.”
Growing up on the road to success
But the story of his success actually begins down the road from the university. Living just beyond the borders of campus as a child, Sukkar grew up listening to the roar of the crowds from Tiger Stadium and proudly dressing in royal purple and champion gold. “I remember I had a white transistor radio from Radio Shack, and I would listen to the LSU games late at night after I was told to go to bed. I spent many nights with that radio hidden underneath my pillow, thinking ‘I’ll be there one day.’” Sukkar also recalled memories of riding with his father in the
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family V.W. Beetle to the student union, where the Sukkars had their personal P.O. Box. The Sukkars were Tigers by definition. And one of the strongest family values Ma’moun and Julie Sukkar instilled in their children was centered around education. “My dad would tell me, ‘The cream always rises to the top.’ You get what you deserve. If you work hard, you deserve what that brings. Everyone is capable, but are they willing to put in the sweat that’s required to achieve their ultimate goals?”
When work turns to passion
Beyond the influences his parents left on him as a child, it wasn’t until Sukkar reached high school, when a close friend’s father, Dr. Jack Holden, a pathologist at Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, left a lasting impression that triggered something within the future surgeon. Dr. Holden assisted a young Sukkar in attaining jobs at a hospital during his undergraduate career. His first encounter was in a lab
