Getting to Know: Jonathas Claus

Where are you now?

Florianópolis, Brazil.

What's your official title? What does it mean to you?

I am an Oral and Maxillofacial Assistant Surgeon at the Governador Celso Ramos Hospital.

What is your educational background?

I went to Dental School at Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, and did my Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residence at Hospital Universitário/UFSC. Nowadays, I am finishing my PhD program at the Pontificie Universidade Católica PUC/RS.

Why did you become a surgeon?

Since I observed my first maxillofacial surgery, I felt my heart beating differently. I spent a lot of time thinking about other specialties, but I couldn’t find that same sense of adrenaline. But, it was truly the idea of making a difference in people’s lives that led me to become a surgeon.

What is your area of specialty?

I am an orthognathic surgeon.

What's the best professional advice that anyone ever gave you?

The best advice I received was: “Always consider the patient’s primary complaint.” This came from my former Professor, José Nazareno Gil. I remember all of the occasions when I chose something different to the patient’s wishes, and I regret that.

What books are on your nightstand?

“Do no Harm: Stories of Life, and Death, and Brain Surgery” by Dr Henry Marsh. It is a book about what it’s like to be a brain surgeon. “In this branch of medicine, the doctor's oath to 'do no harm' holds a bitter irony, as operations on the brain carry grave risks. This book follows the decisions Dr Marsh must make every day, often in the face of great urgency and uncertainty.”

Coffee or tea?

I am a coffee person. Can I have a doppio ristretto, please?

Name five artists on your iPod.

Pearl Jam, Coldplay, Matchbox Twenty, U2, Rolling Stones

What is most fulfilling to you in your work?

My patients. They give us their faces and their trust, which creates a close connection to each other. After all, sometimes you hear from them: “You changed my life.”

“I see AO CMF as a brand that differentiates selected surgeons from all over the planet.”

Tell us about the most important experience in your life as a surgeon.

I treated an incredible woman, who always dreamed of a bimaxillary rehabilitation with bone grafts and dental implants. I had several discussions about her postoperative care. She had at least three surgeries. After each one, her only worry was what I would have for dinner. Every time I asked her if she needed some painkillers, she responded back with the question: “How was your day?”

She was my mother.

If you weren't working in the medical field, what would your dream job be?

A lawyer (I am currently watching the TV series “Suits”).

Do you have a mantra or favorite saying?

“Be positive!”

In a few words, what does AO CMF mean to you?

I see AO CMF as a brand that differentiates selected surgeons from all over the planet.