Ali Alavi, MD

I chose the specialty of Urology because it allows me to help patients, both as a surgeon and as a doctor. New robotic and minimally invasive surgical techniques are allowing me to create dramatic improvements in many patients' quality of life; yet equally rewarding is the chance to go beyond simply offering a surgical solution, and care for those patients over a lifetime.

Many of my patients will never require the skills of a surgeon, yet I find tremendous satisfaction in getting to know them as people, developing a personal relationship, and helping them improve their health.

I believe that excellent diagnostic skills are only part of what makes a good doctor. The second and perhaps even more important element is the willingness to care for a patient like they were your own family member, your mother, father, brother or sister.

Before deciding to become a doctor, I graduated from Princeton with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. With that background, it is easy to understand my interest in new technologies, such as robotics, and the benefits it offers patients. Yet what I've learned as a doctor--and the reason I left engineering--is that nothing can replace the satisfaction of caring for and building relationships with people.