Interview Published in “Aesthetics, Surgery & Cosmetics” Magazine – Extended Version
Dr. Predrag Matejin – A Gentleman with a Scalpel
Meet Dr. Predrag Matejin, Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery at Clinic Olymp, Novi Sad
The operating room nurses describe him as one of the finest surgeons they have ever worked with. He embodies the refined Novi Sad school of surgery, demonstrating exceptional precision, care, and attention to detail, from the initial consultation and every surgical stitch to the final follow-up appointment. In short, a gentleman with a scalpel.
We are talking about Dr. Predrag Matejin, a specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery and a new addition to the Clinic Olymp team in Novi Sad.
“We searched for a long time and found the best,” say representatives of the clinic, whose founder, Dr. Dimitrije Panfilov, has been its most recognizable figure for many years.
You have been described as an outstanding representative of the Novi Sad school of plastic surgery, meticulous and attentive in your conversations with patients and throughout every stage of surgery. Is that an accurate description?
Whether I am the “best” is for others to decide, but I certainly am meticulous and attentive, from my first meeting with a prospective patient to the final follow-up examination.
My dedication to people, every step of the process, and the smallest details probably dates back to childhood. Even then, I enjoyed working with my hands, making things out of wood, and creating something tangible.
This interest continued throughout medical high school and university. I was always drawn to the practical, hands-on aspects of medicine.
I particularly enjoyed spending time in the treatment room, where I was allowed to remove stitches, change dressings, apply plaster casts, and perform other tasks that many of my fellow students were not especially enthusiastic about.
I can say that from my earliest days of studying medicine, I was already moving toward the surgical specialties.
During my fourth year of medical school, I began attending surgical departments outside my regular practical classes.
Through those classes, I met doctors working in emergency medicine. Whenever I had time between lectures and studying, I would join them and help in the emergency department.
That was where I began suturing wounds and gaining practical experience in surgery.
By then, I knew without a doubt that surgery would become the focus of my professional life.
Have you ever regretted that decision?
Without hesitation, I would make exactly the same choice again.
Medicine, and its fundamental purpose of treating and helping people, has always been my motivation.
Plastic surgery combines medicine with aesthetics, allowing me to connect my profession with my interest in art and sculpture.
The difference is that instead of working with stone or wood, I work with living tissue.
I enjoy creating something new, something better and more beautiful, and continuously improving my skills.
What gives me the greatest satisfaction, however, is seeing my patients happy with their results.
When patients overcome something about their appearance that has troubled them, and I have been able to help them achieve that change, their satisfaction gives me the strength and reassurance that I am on the right path.
Those moments when patients express genuine happiness, when their faces light up and they bring their joy into the room, are truly inspiring and fulfilling.
Dr. Matejin during a break with the Clinic Olymp medical staff
Your colleagues say that you are exceptionally patient with everyone, regardless of the problem or expectations they bring to you. Is that true?
I believe that an aesthetic surgeon must develop an individual approach to every patient.
I have no difficulty communicating with anyone, whether they are children, ordinary people with modest expectations, models, or artists who have particularly high aesthetic standards, including expectations concerning their own faces and bodies.
My ability to establish a good relationship with people, regardless of their education, social status, or profession, allows me to understand them better.
It helps me recognize their wishes and expectations and work toward results that meet their individual needs.
Apart from complete dedication to patients, what qualities do you believe every plastic surgeon should possess?
Beyond dedication to the profession and patients, which must always come first, a surgeon needs a constant desire to improve.
They must have the practical skills and ability to turn their ideas into reality.
Academic education, extensive reading, and theoretical knowledge alone are not enough.
What matters is being able to apply everything you have learned, heard, and observed in practice and achieve meaningful results.
A surgeon should also be a positive person who genuinely enjoys their work and cares about their patients.
I firmly believe that being a good surgeon involves much more than knowing how to cut and suture.
It also requires the ability to approach each patient with warmth, understanding, and humanity, and to establish genuine communication.
Only then can truly good results be achieved.
Dr. Matejin at the ISAPS Plastic Surgery Congress in Miami
THE CHALLENGE OF “SIMPLE” PROCEDURES
There are increasingly frequent claims that non-invasive rejuvenation treatments are becoming more popular than surgical procedures. How much truth is there in this, considering that you successfully perform both?
It is true that non-invasive and non-surgical treatments are becoming increasingly numerous and are developing much faster than surgical techniques, which have remained relatively standardized.
The reasons are easy to understand.
These treatments appear relatively simple, are generally less expensive than surgery, and produce temporary results, making patients more willing to try them.
They can often be performed quickly, sometimes even during a lunch break, and usually require little or no time away from work or social activities.
In addition, the results of many treatments become visible relatively quickly, while recovery time is generally minimal.
We are also witnessing continuous improvements in the materials used for non-surgical procedures, which can help reduce the likelihood of unwanted reactions and complications when treatments are performed appropriately by qualified professionals.
All these factors contribute to patient satisfaction.
Many patients willingly repeat treatments every few months, potentially postponing the need for surgical intervention.
I expect non-invasive treatments to become increasingly popular because people naturally appreciate solutions that are simple, quick, and relatively affordable.
How much do your surgical knowledge and experience help when performing non-invasive treatments?
A great deal!
Surgery is often regarded as the “heavy artillery” of medicine. Compared with it, non-invasive treatments may appear insignificant or straightforward.
However, this is a misconception that can lead to serious mistakes.
Non-invasive procedures also carry risks, and errors can have significant consequences for patients.
Plastic surgeons possess extensive knowledge of anatomy, tissue structures, and surgical techniques, which provides a valuable foundation for performing these treatments.
I believe this expertise is increasingly recognized by patients around the world, including here in Serbia.
A properly trained and experienced plastic surgeon can assess potential risks, select appropriate techniques, and work toward achieving the best possible outcome for each patient.
Can Just One Milliliter of Hyaluronic Acid Be Enough to Make a Patient Happy?
As a surgeon, my challenge is to help every patient achieve a result that allows their natural beauty to shine through and makes them feel happy and satisfied.
If I can achieve that through a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure, perhaps with just one milliliter of hyaluronic acid in a particular area, why not?
Ultimately, what matters most is the patient’s satisfaction.
Whether that result is achieved through surgery or a non-surgical treatment is of secondary importance.
What is your opinion of excessive aesthetic treatments? We often see people requesting dramatically enlarged lips and similar results.
I sometimes refuse to perform procedures when a patient’s expectations conflict with my professional understanding of aesthetic balance and natural-looking results.
I always try to understand their wishes and explain, respectfully and carefully, why injecting excessive amounts of hyaluronic acid into the lips or other areas may produce an unnatural or aesthetically unbalanced appearance.
I do not want to participate in treatments that I believe would produce inappropriate results.
If I recognize that a patient has unrealistic expectations, wishes to go too far, or is unwilling to consider sincere and well-intentioned professional advice, I may recommend that they seek another opinion.
THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN FROM DR. PANFILOV
What was your primary motivation for joining the Clinic Olymp team?
First and foremost, Clinic Olymp is an institution organized and operated according to high professional, medical, and organizational standards.
The clinic has an excellent and experienced medical team, advanced equipment, high-quality materials, and outstanding working conditions.
It is a well-organized medical institution where the principles of medicine, professional practice, and science are respected.
Patients are treated with exceptional consideration, and both the surgeon and the patient have the time and environment needed to prepare calmly and thoroughly for a procedure, whether surgical or non-surgical.
The entire process is supported by experienced professionals across different medical disciplines.
Another major reason was Dr. Dimitrije Panfilov, the founder of Clinic Olymp and an internationally recognized surgeon.
He has brought his extensive international experience into the clinic’s operations and shared it with the entire team.
I believe there is still much I can learn from him, particularly in areas where I would like to develop my skills further.
Although I am 56 years old and at the height of my career, I still believe I can become an even better surgeon.
Dr. Panfilov has valuable practical techniques, professional knowledge, and experience in certain types of procedures that I would be delighted to learn from.
I am pleased that we recognized our shared professional values and that Clinic Olymp sees me as an important part of its future.
The entire team has placed its trust in me and my work, and I am confident that patients will continue to leave this clinic happy and satisfied.
Clinic Olymp medical team – Dr. Dario Lizatović, Dr. Dimitrije Panfilov, Dr. Vesna Peković Zrnić and Dr. Predrag Matejin
What is the main reason patients choose to come to you?
I believe that throughout my career, most patients have come to me through recommendations from other satisfied patients.
Of course, I understand that advertising has become increasingly important in today’s internet-driven world.
Nevertheless, I still believe that the best form of advertising is a recommendation from a happy patient.
People recommend their doctor to others only when they are satisfied with every aspect of their experience.
This includes the doctor’s approach, understanding, surgical technique, postoperative care, and willingness to maintain good communication even after the procedure.
I believe these are the things that matter most.
What usually motivates patients to undergo aesthetic surgery?
It is difficult to generalize because every patient is different.
Some patients have a physical difference or deformity that causes them genuine distress.
Unfortunately, society can sometimes be very judgmental, particularly when the difference is clearly visible, such as prominent ears or certain facial irregularities.
These patients may develop deep insecurities and, in some cases, more significant emotional difficulties.
When surgery helps them feel more comfortable with their appearance and improves their psychological well-being, it is something that makes all of us happy.
I remember a young woman who came to see me with her mother because she wanted rhinoplasty.
Her mother explained that her daughter had become increasingly withdrawn, avoided socializing, and rarely went out.
Her father disagreed with the idea of surgery and was skeptical. Naturally, in his eyes, his daughter was already the most beautiful girl in the world.
A few months after the operation, I happened to meet him on the street.
He approached me with a very serious expression and said loudly, “Doctor, what have you done to me? What a problem you’ve created!”
For a moment, I was shocked and concerned.
I asked what had happened, because the surgery had gone well and everything seemed to be fine.
Then he smiled and said, “I can’t keep the boys away from my house!”
He thanked me and admitted that he had never expected such a transformation in his daughter.
She had become more confident, outgoing, and comfortable with herself, which positively influenced the way she interacted with others.
This little story illustrates the experiences of patients who genuinely want to express the beauty and confidence they feel has been hidden beneath their insecurities about their physical appearance.
There are also patients whose motivations are influenced by fashion, celebrities, social trends, or popular beauty standards.
They want to resemble their idols or follow the latest trends.
Such patients may also achieve positive results and satisfaction, but when their motivation is based primarily on external influences, even a technically successful procedure may not meet their expectations.
To avoid such situations, it is essential to understand each patient and communicate clearly about what can realistically be achieved, which procedures may be appropriate, which should be avoided, and what is most likely to produce a satisfactory result.
GOD DOES NOT THINK HE IS A SURGEON…
What are the greatest challenges in aesthetic surgery?
The greatest challenge for an aesthetic surgeon is knowing when to stop and not allowing success or recognition to go to their head.
A surgeon must never begin to believe that they are all-powerful.
It is essential to remain aware of one’s abilities, limitations, and professional boundaries at all times.
If a surgeon attempts something beyond their actual capabilities, the consequences can be serious.
There is a short joke that illustrates this perfectly:
“What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and God?”
“God has never thought he was a plastic surgeon.”
And when a plastic surgeon starts believing he is God, trouble is almost guaranteed.
SERBIAN, ENGLISH, RUSSIAN AND SLOVAK…
Patients are often pleasantly surprised to discover that, in addition to Serbian, they can communicate with me in English, Russian, and Slovak.
Vojvodina is a multicultural region, and members of ethnic minorities sometimes feel more comfortable speaking in their native language.
For me, that is not a problem.
Early in my career, when I was still a young and relatively inexperienced doctor, I realized that a warm, respectful, and personal approach could often be the deciding factor in earning a patient’s trust.
I have never abandoned that approach, even though I am now a much more experienced and skilled surgeon.
I believe that understanding, sincerity, kindness, and genuine human connection are just as important as surgical knowledge and technical ability.
I think these are the qualities that my patients recognize and appreciate.
What inspires you in life?
First and foremost, my family: my wife and our four children.
I enjoy spending time with them, celebrating their achievements, and helping them experience as much success and as few difficulties or disappointments as possible.
As for my other interests, I am a passionate nature lover.
I genuinely enjoy spending time outdoors, meeting people, discovering new places, and continuously exploring and pushing my physical and mental limits, both at great heights and underwater.
I love all kinds of water sports and activities.
I also enjoy having a beautiful, well-maintained environment around me.
Wherever I have lived, whether in a house or an apartment, I have always tried to surround myself with something natural and beautiful, perhaps an aquarium with fish, a garden with flowers, ornamental plants, or trees.
I particularly enjoy gardening, growing flowers, and caring for plants.
It is something that helps me relax.
What can you say about a man who saved your leg and your life 20 years ago, even though you didn’t really know him?
Then, years later, new problems developed with the same leg. By chance, we met again, and he resolved the problem through surgery quickly and without complications, followed by careful wound dressing and attentive postoperative care.
What can I say except that I am just as impressed today as I was 20 years ago?
If I had to decide whether Dr. Matejin is a better doctor or a better human being, I would say he is equally outstanding at both.
DOCTOR, THANK YOU FOR SAVING ME BOTH TIMES!
P.S. The care and professionalism of the nurses and clinic staff are EXCEPTIONAL. THANK YOU ALL, and congratulations on your outstanding work.Warm regards,
Dušan B.
