Alumni Interview Series: From Campus to the World
Dr. Med. Univ. Dr. Phil. Nat. Alexander Haumer graduated from the Human Medicine program at Paracelsus Medical Private University (PMU) in Salzburg twelve years ago. Since then, his professional life—including several relocations—has been anything but static. Dr. Dr. Alexander Haumer shares his career journey after graduating from his alma mater, reveals how he stays motivated in his job every day, and discusses what he is looking forward to in the future.
After his time in Salzburg, the PMU graduate completed an internship at Weill Cornell College at Cornell University in New York. From 2014 to 2018, Dr. Dr. Alexander Haumer pursued his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Basel. Since 2018, first as a specialist and since 2024 as a senior physician (currently on leave), he has been working in the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic, and Hand Surgery at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland.
From Fellowship to Fellowship: Fellowships are advanced training programs that take place after medical school and specialty training, often with a focus on research and/or clinical practice. Dr. Dr. Alexander Haumer’s first fellowship took him to Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden. In July 2025, he moved to Canada for his second fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Microsurgery. For one year, the PMU alumnus will live, work, and conduct research in Toronto at the University Health Network’s Toronto General Hospital.
PMU Alumnus in Conversation
Dr. Dr. Haumer, when you think back to your time at PMU, what was a highlight of your studies?
A: I particularly remember my first day in the large lecture hall, as well as my research trimester at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA. I am still grateful for the opportunity to study and conduct research at such a top institution.
What excites and motivates you about your profession?
A: The fact that I have found something in life that excites me and gives me the opportunity to constantly develop further motivates me every day to set and pursue new goals. I find it fascinating to be able to treat people in all their facets. Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery allows me to treat patients from childhood to old age—from young athletes to bedridden grandmothers. The range from simple surgical procedures to highly complex microsurgical reconstructions is diverse and stimulating.
What are you looking forward to in the coming years?
My current fellowship in Toronto will certainly be an exciting time. I am aware that it is a great honor to have been selected for this fellowship experience. But I also look forward with anticipation to my expected return to my workplace in Switzerland and my upcoming habilitation.
One last question: What comes to your mind spontaneously when you think of PMU?
The university is a good preparation for any professional path—whatever it may look like. In my eyes, PMU fosters the pursuit of more.
Translated by Le Chat
