Left to right: Dr Daniel Olvera-Posada, Dr Amy Krambeck, Dr John Denstedt, Dr Alberto Maya, and Dr Carlos Méndez-Probst during the inauguration of the 2017 Endourology Course at Monterrey.

Dr Denstedt performing a percutaneous nephrolithotomy during the live surgery session, taking questions from the audience.

I had the great honor of having Dr Denstedt as one of the attending physicians during my fellowship at Western University from 2014 to 2016.

One of the things that always caught my attention is that he placed a strong emphasis on patient-centered care and the use of cutting-edge technology to improve patient outcomes. He has been instrumental in advancing the field of endourology. His ongoing pursuit of knowledge has led to the development of new and improved surgical techniques, as well as a better understanding of the underlying causes of urological disorders. Learning directly from the creator of the techniques was always inspiring.

John was never shy in providing mentorship. Not all attendings in hospitals take the time to know their fellows and offer feedback on performance. He was always ready to share his own experience and insight to provide valuable guidance, thus developing a relationship that would always inspire us to grow personally and professionally.

Another important lesson from Dr Denstedt’s work is the importance of ongoing research and innovation in the medical field. Everyone knows he has published numerous research articles and has been involved in numerous clinical trials, because of his unrelenting commitment to advancing the field of urology, and even from the least logically related event, having critical and scientific thinking to apply it to urology.

Probably the most valuable lesson I learned from Dr Denstedt was that there is always room for learning from everybody, especially from people all over the world. His collaboration and teamwork with people across the globe have always inspired me to look for shared experiences with peers from different backgrounds and locations.