Dr. Michael Kreidstein

For Dr. Michael Kreidstein, a plastic surgeon at The Scarborough Hospital for 13 years, the variety of plastic surgery is a big part of what he enjoys about his career.

“I consider myself a general plastic surgeon. My practice includes anything that comes into the emergency room – from bad infections and trauma to skin cancer,” Dr. Kreidstein says.  “What’s exciting is the variety, and knowing that there will be some days that present a challenge that might require me to crack open a book and read up on things. It would be difficult for me to get excited if I had to do the same procedure day in and day out.”

Dr. Kreistein’s bedside manner prompted one of his patients to write to The Scarborough Hospital with high praise.

“When I arrived at the hospital on the day of surgery, I was highly anxious and deeply concerned about my decision,” wrote Rayna Morris. “Given Dr. Kreidstein’s calm manner and his clear demonstration of knowledge, he provided a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere prior to my surgery that eased my tension immensely.”

Self-effacing about the praise, though, Dr. Kreidstein’s enthusiasm for his specialty goes far beyond the technical challenges.

He described a recent case of a pregnant woman who came into the ER after being assaulted.

“What saved her life is that the knife her assailant used got stuck in her hand,” Dr. Kreidstein explains. “So, although there were certainly some technical challenges in doing that procedure, sometimes the biggest challenge dealing with a case on a personal and emotional level.

“It’s not just a technical field; you’re dealing with people who all have a story to tell.”

Choosing medicine was a late decision for Dr. Kreidstein. His early focus was on research.

“While I was interested in the academic and intellectual side of medicine, I was also very attracted to the idea of dealing with and helping people,” he says. “I particularly like the fact that, in plastic surgery, at the end of the day, I can tell if I have done a really good job.

“You don’t rely on blood tests or statistics at year five to decide if your efforts were successful; you can tell on the table if you’ve done a good job.”

A father of three young daughters, Dr. Kreidstein enjoys spending time with them and his wife. But he’s also a competitive tennis player, playing throughout the province on club teams.