Surgeon-endoscopist who loves painting and has worked at National Center of Surgery for 60 years

Name, Surname: Gogi Elisabedashvili.

Position: Surgeon-endoscopist.

Education: Tbilisi State Medical University, general medicine

Marital status: married

Hobby: painting.  

Mr. Gogi stated – “I’ve worked at National Center of Surgery from 1959 and I can say without any exaggeration that I’m coming from one family to another. I’ve spent half of my life, 60 years,  at this clinic. I’ve always wanted to become a surgeon and it's not a surprise since almost all of my family members are doctors. Moreover, Mr. Konstantine Eristavi, who our clinic is named after, was a close relative from the mother's side. He plays a big role in my upbringing and personal development. He was an authoritative role model and out of respect and love of him, I’ve started to work at National Center of Surgery, where I still loyally work. If not a surgeon, I might have become a writer and who knows how my life would develop… I'm often asked about what a surgeon should be like; In my mind, role model surgeon has to have 3 primary characteristics as follows: great personality, love for patients and the work, integrity – in any other case, s/he won't achieve anything in this sphere! In my youth, I’ve participated in medical experiments and during one of the experiments I was Otar Burjanidze’s (well-known doctor, scientist, researcher) assistant. During the study, he suddenly turned around and told me "Don't be bested in work you love and believe, because by doing so, you will lose yourself as a person." At that minute I didn’t even understand what he told and imagine, I analyzed it only after a few years. This magnificent person told me words that defined my life – It was a warning that followed me through my whole life, personal as well as professional. In my youth, I loved hunting with my friends.  I even used to paint. I have a collection of paintings comprising works of Georgian as well as Russian painters, including Tengiz Mirzashvili, Avto Varazi, Temur Japaridze, Gia Markozashvili, Anatoly Zverev and so on. My senior friends, famous painters often presented me with paintings. Over the year, I’ve also collected oil and watercolor paintings of still life, landscape, portrait. In my free time, I visit art galleries, friends in their studios and this is the best way for me to relax”