In the first 2 years of medical school, the most common reasons for unsuccessful performance are a deficiency in cognitive knowledge, inefficient time management, and poor study skills. Thereafter, however, the principal reasons for poor performance in training or practice are personality issues and/or unprofessional behavior.
In this article, I review the attributes expected of a physician and the factors that undermine professionalism. I then offer suggestions for smoothing the pathway for personal and professional success. I crafted these suggestions with the “help” of some unlikely medical philosophers. (Note: Some variations of the cited quotations may exist.) I have tempered their guidance with my own personal experiences as a spouse, parent, and grandparent and my professional experiences over almost 50 years, during which I served as a career military officer, student clerkship director, residency program director, fellowship program director, and associate dean for student affairs. I readily acknowledge that, as major league baseball player Yogi Berra reputedly said, “I made too many wrong mistakes,” and that bad experiences are a tough way to ultimately learn good judgment. I hope these suggestions will help you avoid many of my “wrong mistakes.”
High expectations for the medical professional
“To whom much is given, much shall be required.”
—Luke 12:48
Medicine is a higher calling. It is not the usual type of business, and our patients certainly are not just customers or clients. In the unique moment of personal contact, we are asked to put the interest and well-being of our patient above all else. Our patients rightly have high expectations for what type of person their physician should be. The personal strengths expected of a physician include:
- humility
- honesty—personal and fiscal
- integrity
- strong moral compass
- fairness
- responsible
- diligent
- accountable
- insightful
- wise
- technically competent
- perseverant
- sympathetic
- empathetic
- inspiring.
To exhibit all these characteristics consistently is a herculean task and one that is impossible to fulfill. Many factors conspire to undermine our ability to steadfastly be all that we can be. Among these factors are:
- time constraints
- financial pressures
- physical illness
- emotional illness
- the explosion of information technology and scientific knowledge
- bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Therefore, we need to acknowledge with the philosopher Voltaire that “Perfect is the enemy of good.” We need to set our performance bar at excellence, not perfection. If we expect perfection of ourselves, we are destined to be consistently disappointed.
What follows is a series of well-intentioned and good-natured suggestions for keeping ourselves on an even keel, personally and professionally, and maintaining our compass setting on true north.
Continue to: Practical suggestions...