We recently connected with Babak Hajhosseini and have shared our conversation below.

Babak, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I was incredibly fortunate to grow up in a family where both my mother and father placed profound importance on education, self-reliance, hard work, and personal accountability. My father, a gynecologist, overcame humble beginnings in a small village in Iran to ascend to the role of CEO at the largest hospital in the second-largest city in the country. Similarly, my mother, who faced financial hardships growing up, broke barriers as the first in her family to earn a bachelor’s degree from one of the nation’s top universities.

I didn’t have to look far to find role models—I was privileged to have two of the most inspiring ones right within my family. What they instilled in me is beyond measure. The legacy they left me wasn’t a material inheritance but a mindset rooted in resilience, ambition, and a relentless drive for self-improvement. They taught me to consistently strive for my highest potential and to ensure that each day marked progress from the one before. They didn’t just impart these values through words—they demonstrated them through their actions, setting an enduring example that continues to guide me.

Babak, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am the President and CEO of Wound and Burn Centers of America, the world’s leading provider of wound healing services. My 16 years of medical training include distinctive fellowships in complex wound healing and burn injuries at some of the nation’s most prestigious academic institutions, including Stanford University. As one of the very few physicians—and possibly the first—to complete dual academic fellowships in these core disciplines, I bring a unique expertise and skill set that enable us to address the most intricate and challenging cases of complex wounds for patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Our expertise extends to some of the most difficult conditions, including diabetic foot ulcers, pressure injuries, venous insufficiency ulcers, arterial ulcers, and burn injuries.

While independent of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, our flagship center in the prestigious Cedars-Sinai Medical Office Towers is the only facility offering wound care, outpatient burn treatment, and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, setting us apart with unique services.

At Wound and Burn Centers of America, We Set the Bar! We don’t just adopt the latest advancements in wound healing; we lead the way in developing them. From pioneering innovative techniques and uncovering new applications for treatments like Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Laser Therapy to advancing Regenerative Medicine and Skin Substitutes, we are at the cutting edge. Our management guidelines have become a global standard, serving as a reference for experts worldwide.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Throughout much of my medical training, my aspiration was singular: to become the finest plastic surgeon I could be. This ambition drove me to pursue rigorous training in both general surgery and plastic surgery. However, my journey took an unexpected and profound turn after meeting my mentor, Dr. Geoffrey Gurtner, the former Director of Stanford University’s Wound Clinic. Dr. Gurtner introduced me to the transformative field of wound healing, unveiling its immense potential to create meaningful, life-changing impacts for patients. His guidance reshaped my path, inspiring me to dedicate my career to this extraordinary discipline.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Resilience has been the cornerstone of my journey, shaping every milestone along the way. From studying to enter medical school in Iran, immigrating to the United States, gaining acceptance into some of the world’s most competitive institutions, to founding the world’s leading provider of wound healing services, none of this would have been possible without persistence and determination. Success, I’ve learned, is less about intelligence, talent, or privilege, and far more about the strength of your will and how deeply you desire it. If you fail to achieve something, it often means you didn’t want it badly enough or weren’t willing to make the necessary sacrifices!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.WoundAndBurnCenters.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.hajhosseini
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/babak-hajhosseini-b8b35913
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WoundAndBurnCenters