"The time was brief for the young doctor Jorge Oscar Zárate until he closed the cycle of his professional career. Just 10 days ago he took the last subject of the medicine course at the local Faculty of Medical Sciences, after a brilliant career in which he only "He spent four years and nine months. He is 19 years old. Vocation, tenacity and intelligence is the team that led him to success."
This is how the note they made to Jorge in
Clarín
60 years ago begins.
On January 18, 1964, he became news after graduating as a doctor in record time
.
“An aunt of mine, Luisa Colotti, who has since passed away, called the newspaper to let them know and a journalist came to my house to interview me.
At that time, she lived in Tapiales, in La Matanza.
I remember that she brought a tape recorder and arrived with a photographer, she asked me many questions.
The next day, my aunt bought several copies and gave me one,” says Jorge now, six decades later,
with a photocopy of the note in hand
.
He is accompanied by his wife, Herminia Vidal, whom he met a year after the publication of the famous article, which led
more people to find out about his great achievement
.
“After the note, they called me from other media, Antonio Carrizo interviewed me on Channel 7, and at the same time
they declared me an illustrious citizen in my town
, Dudignac, in the July 9 match,” he reviews and assures that at all times He felt “a lot of pride.”
The publication that appeared in Clarín on January 18, 1964, when Jorge Oscar Zárate graduated as a doctor.
Photo Maxi Failla
To get his degree at 19, he was advanced one year in primary school and
gave two years off
in secondary school (second and fifth).
“
At 14 I was starting college
.
She spent three years studying at the University of La Plata and two here in the Capital, at the University of Buenos Aires.
I always had
a lot of ease in studying and taking exams
,” Jorge comments that, after graduating, he began to specialize in general pathology and, later, subspecialized in ocular pathology.
Jorge Zárate with his wife, Herminia.
Photo Maxi Failla
The key: never stop studying
“I went through several medical institutions.
I was at the José de San Martín Hospital de Clínicas, at the Central Aeronautical Hospital and at the Ramón Sardá Maternal and Child Hospital,” he details about his training.
His love for medicine and his desire to continue learning led him to study for a doctorate.
This is how they awarded Jorge Oscar Zárate the medical degree at the age of 19.
“I received my doctorate in Medicine from the University of Buenos Aires and entered the Pathology department of the university.
I started as an assistant and became director of the department
,” says Jorge.
And so it was that, between books and microscopes, the years passed.
This January 4th
he celebrated his 60th birthday as a doctor
and on March 27th he celebrates his 80th birthday.
“I continue working, I am an adjunct professor of Ophthalmology at the Maimónides University and a senior consulting professor at the Department of Pathology at the UBA,” he summarizes and says that, in his career, he analyzed thousands of samples and that he continues to do so today,
now on his own. laboratory
.
Jorge Oscar Zárate subspecialized in ocular pathology.
"They send me samples from various parts of the country, I am a reference on the subject after so many years of dedication," he says.
He says that, for a long time, he investigated glaucoma cases.
"Today I perform biopsies of
ocular, orbital and eyelid tumors
. I work with my wife, she collaborates in the administrative part and, at the same time, is a great support for me emotionally," he comments and assures that he was lucky since He had "a great companion."
With Herminia they are parents and grandparents.
They had four daughters: Valeria, Lorena, Natalia and Jésica;
and 11 grandchildren.
Jésica, the youngest, in some way, followed in her father's footsteps.
She “she No, she studied Medicine but she is a Histology technician, that is,
she makes the preparations that are placed in the microscopes
.
Currently, she moved country and lives in Spain, she works in a hospital in Palmas de Mallorca,” says Jorge, who has her laboratory in the Congress area and lives in Monserrat.
Valeria, the eldest, was the one who, this time,
played the role of Aunt Luisa and contacted this newspaper
, along with her mother.
Jorge holds the first note in Clarín.
In January he celebrated 60 years as a doctor.
Photo Maxi Failla
“
I live this second note with great joy
, being able to do what you like and have it recognized is really beautiful," he reflects.
Medicine, Jorge points out, is "one of those commitments that, sometimes, makes you not sleep well.
This has to do with the fact that
one never forgets the patient, it is the priority
.”
Enjoy despite the bad news
He assures that it is a task to which you have to put
knowledge and soul,
but that it is also essential to enjoy it, even though
you are often forced to give bad news
.
"In my work I usually detect tumors, many malignant ones, for example, but I try to think that because we find them, the person will receive good treatment,
they will have a second chance
," he explains.
Jorge Zárate and his microscope.
Photo Maxi Failla
And he adds: "I try to follow up on the cases, I consult with the doctors who tell me how it went and, on many occasions, I stay in contact with the patients," he explains and affirms that being
empathetic and humble
are also important characteristics. that a health professional should have.
Take work home
In his house he has an extra room with a microscope and he says that
there he evaluates the most difficult cases
.
“Contrary to what one might think, my work is not mathematical.
"You have to look at the preparations carefully, you have to
interpret the cells
to solve the problem of diagnosis," he comments. Meanwhile, he highlights that "even a papilloma can have some secrets kept."
"For this reason, sometimes I take samples from the laboratory to continue working in my free time, my task involves a lot of research," Jorge contributes.
For now,
retiring is not in his plans
.
“I think about it every once in a while because I'm about to turn 80. I'm reminded of age by certain joint and myocardial pains, I had two stents placed,” Jorge shares.
And he affirms that, as long as he is cognitively well, he will continue working.
“
Medicine is my passion, it is my way of life
.
The vocation of service remains intact beyond the years, I like to be useful and collaborate with those who need it, so I am going to continue,” she closes.
ACE