My Juggling Act
Dr. B. Aviva Preminger, MD, MPH, FACS
This summer, I had two young religious girls interning in my office—one nursing student and one premed—bright, eager, curious about plastic surgery, and about what it means to be a professional woman. It made me think more deeply about what I wanted to show them—not just the surgeries and the science, but the reality of what this life looks like: the constant juggling act of being a plastic surgeon, a mother, a wife, and an observant Jew.
When I was 14, my mother—who ran my father’s medical practice—tried to convince me not to pursue surgery by sending me to observe an open-heart procedure. She hoped it would scare me off. Instead, I fell in love with it. Still, I was warned. When I was in high school, I was introduced to a female plastic surgeon who told me bluntly: “Don’t do it.” Years later, while rotating through a burn unit, I met that very same plastic surgeon’s daughter—then a plastic surgery resident herself. It was a full-circle moment. Apparently, her mom had warned her not to pursue a career in plastic surgery, and she too had simply disregarded the warning.
In moments of exasperation, I sometimes remember that I was warned. These moments come when my kids’ school calls my phone ten times to reach a parent, not wanting to bother my children’s father because he is at work, never considering that my child’s mother might also be working and scrubbed into surgery.
The truth is that, at home, I still fill a fairly traditional role as a wife and mother. No matter how crazy my week is, I need to prep a Shabbos menu, and when camp rolls around, I shop and pack the camp trunks.
There is no perfect balance—there’s just relentless prioritizing. There are times I feel I’ve nailed a complex case in the OR but missed a class presentation. Other days, I show up for my kids but fall behind on notes or miss a journal deadline. It’s a juggling act always. And I wanted my interns to see that. Not to scare them off, but to empower them.
I want these girls to see that a career of this kind is possible, but it comes with hard choices and constant recalibration. There are days that feel like triumphs and others like survival. I didn’t hide that from them. They see the 6:30 a.m. surgeries peppered with calls from camp. They see that Shabbat is sacred no matter what chaos came before.
It’s not compartmentalized—it’s integrated. Messily, imperfectly, but purposefully. This isn’t about having it all—it’s about knowing what to hold onto and what to let go of in each moment of life.
Girls deserve to see that their options are real, even if the balance isn’t always easy. It’s not seamless—but it is possible. And part of making it possible is showing the next generation the truth—not filtered, not polished, but grounded in reality. That they don’t have to choose between ambition and identity. That they can lead, build, mother, operate, believe, and make fresh choices every single day.
At Preminger Plastic Surgery, we are committed to educating our patients and providing personalized care tailored to their unique needs. For those considering plastic surgery, we offer guidance every step of the way to help you achieve your aesthetic and wellness goals. Dr. Preminger is a board-certified plastic surgeon with degrees from Harvard, Cornell, and Columbia.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please visit premingermd.com or call 212-706-1900. nDr. Aviva Preminger is an Ivy League-educated and trained plastic surgeon. She has earned respect and prestige in her field with her extensive credentials. She holds faculty appointments at Columbia University as well as several other fully accredited New York hospitals. Dr. Preminger has expertise in a wide range of cosmetic and reconstructive procedures and has lectured and published extensively. She and her staff are committed to excellence. You can reach Dr. Preminger at 212-706-1900 or via her website at https://premingermd.com/contact
