I first found delight in the Sabbath many years ago when, as a busy surgeon, I knew that the Sabbath became a day for personal healing. By the end of each week, my hands were sore from repeatedly scrubbing them with soap, water, and a bristle brush. I also needed a breather from the burden of a demanding profession.

My first ambition was to be a brain surgeon.

I thought that the 40s was a tough decade, because it's when you finally figure out that you're not immortal, when you really start seeing that certain options are closed to you forever: You're not going to be a brain surgeon; you're not going to be a ballerina.

My dad was a tree surgeon. When I was younger, he was working away five days a week for weeks on end, just trying to get as much money.

You can teach somebody how to be a brain surgeon, but you cannot teach them how to walk on a stage and make people laugh.

My mum was an advertising professional till she had me and my dad is a surgeon and is the director of Bhatia Hospital.

I'm not a comedian. And I'm not sick. The world is sick, and I'm the doctor. I'm a surgeon with a scalpel for false values.

On Saturday, I was a surgeon in South Africa, very little known. On Monday, I was world renowned.

A grateful world, nation and cadre of surgeons general who followed in his shadow are forever indebted to Surgeon General Koop's wisdom, fortitude, integrity and selfless service.

Some critics will write 'Maya Angelou is a natural writer' - which is right after being a natural heart surgeon.

When I was 16, I played Macbeth at school and my English teacher said, 'I think you may have acting talent. Try to get into the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and see where you get.' I wouldn't have thought of that at all. I wanted to be a surgeon, but I wasn't a clever man.

I'm the son of a surgeon and the grandson of a surgeon.

I was damn sure that I was not going to be a lawyer or a brain surgeon.

When I was little, I wanted to be a plastic surgeon.

I would like to see the day when somebody would be appointed surgeon somewhere who had no hands, for the operative part is the least part of the work.

I wanted to be a brain surgeon, but I had a bad habit of dropping things.

Your average Republican member of Congress, if you played a word association game with them and said, 'Latino,' they're going to respond 'illegal immigrant,' as opposed to 'sergeant major' or 'surgeon' or 'professor.'

I've learned to not forecast anything beyond the year, because when I went to Stanford, I originally wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon. So it's just hilarious to look back at all of the things I wanted to do.

I do not intend to use the Surgeon General's Office as a bully pulpit for gun control.

Let me alone: I have yet my legs and one arm. Tell the surgeon to make haste and his instruments. I know I must lose my right arm, so the sooner it's off the better.