Today, I speak with Published Author, Dr. Salvatore Forcina. Dr. Forcina is a retired general, vascular, and trauma surgeon who served as the Chief of Surgery at two North Jersey hospitals for years and treated thousands of patients.

He is also the author of The American Doctor. This inspiring memoir chronicles his extraordinary journey from humble beginnings in war-torn Italy to becoming a highly respected physician in the United States.

Born in 1941 amidst the chaos of World War II, poverty and hardship marked Dr. Forcina's early years. Throughout the war, his family lived in the mountains with other villagers. After it ended, they moved to Argentina when he was eight, in search of a better life. However, the move presented new challenges, including language and cultural differences.

To ensure his education, Dr. Forcina's parents sent him to live with priests, where he faced a strict and isolating environment. Despite these difficulties, he excelled in his studies and went on to become a medical doctor. At the age of 28, with only $40 in his pocket and no command of the English language, Dr. Forcina immigrated to America; however, his medical degree was not recognized in the United States.

Determined to practice medicine in the U.S., he worked as a hospital tech for three years, drawing blood for a meagre $16 a day while taking foreign equivalency exams to be allowed to begin medical residency. It wasn't until eight years after he arrived in this country, at the age of 36, that he was finally able to begin practicing as a young, unrecognized physician. HIGHLIGHTS 00:01:00 - Life During the War 00:05:00 - Post-War Migration to Argentina 00:11:25 - Education and Separation 00:14:30 - Struggles with Identity 00:19:00 - Pursuing Medicine 00:22:00 - Overcoming Obstacles 00:26:00 - Moving to the United States 00:30:00 - Struggles in a New Country 00:33:00 - Medical Licensing Journey 00:35:00 - Starting His Medical Career 00:40:00 - Meeting His Future Family 00:44:00 - Becoming a Surgeon 00:48:00 - The American Doctor

Connect with Dr. Salvatore Forcina Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsalvatoreforcinamd/ Website: https://salvatoreforcina.com/ The American Doctor: Amazon: https://a.co/d/i4M4ExlBarnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-american-doctor-salvatore-j-forcina/1141643151

Marsha Vanwynsberghe — NLP Storytelling Trainer, OUTSPOKEN NLP Coaching Certification, Author, Speaker, and Podcaster

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