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SAGE ADVICE
Practical Advice from a Seasoned Clinician
by Seymour Katz, MD, MACG
1 Work
The master word in medicine is “work,” according to Sir William Osler at the beginning of the 20th century1 and by Dean Robert Grossman at his 2015 NYU School of Medicine commencement address.2
As pedestrian as it sounds, there are no shortcuts to achieving proficiency in the practice of medicine. Do not shy away from hard tasks. Once accepted and completed, there will be both a sense of fulfillment and yes…joy.
Look for challenges, not guarantees.
Remember to listen to that quiet voice inside all of us that indicates the right choice to be taken. Don’t be led astray by shortcuts or questionable tactics. You can “never do the wrong thing the right way.”
2 Aequanimitas3
Keep your “cool,” i.e., composure, no matter how frustrating, insulting or threatening an apparent insurmountable barrier may be. Losing your temper or control in front of patients or colleagues disenfranchises you as a competent, caring physician.
3 Don’t be Afraid to Fail
We learn the most from our failures, and you will fail at some tasks. Do not whine or bemoan your fate with problemsolving. Try not to repeat the mistake and move on.
4 You Can’t Do It All
A task may indeed seem impossible to complete but remember: It is not incumbent on you to complete the task of mending the world, but you are not free from trying to do your part (Ethics of the Fathers 2:16).
5 Perpetual Student
Your competence will be enhanced only by a continued effort to review and study the literature and attend teaching sessions and discussions with key opinion leaders. Compartmentalize your time to permit this “continued education” throughout your career.
6 When Things Go Wrong
Learn to accept in silence the minor aggravations that are inevitable in your daily routine. Things cannot always go your way. Prioritize your energy and ask if this disturbance is worth your time, energy and diversion from the work at hand.
7 Family First
As tired or frustrated as you may be with some daily events, when arriving home put all that baggage on the “back burner” and begin inquiries to your family’s activities and needs of the day. There will never be peace in your daily routine if there is no peace at home.
8 You Can’t Do Your Job Alone
Remember those around you who help, assist or mentor you. Think back to such assistance and “give back” in support or even as a compliment to those who have impacted your life’s activities. Be kind and not patronizing to patients and colleagues and to all in your network and at every level of involvement.
9 Passion and Nobility
Continue to be passionate about your role in medicine. Remember what drove you to become a physician. It is a noble profession, and you “stand on the shoulders” of all those in medicine who preceded you.
10 Vision-Task-Dream
“A vision without a task is but a dream, a task without vision is drudgery, but a vision with a task is the hope of the world.” On the cornerstone of a church in England, dated 1730 (courtesy of Anne-Louise Oliphant).
1 Osler, Sir William. The Master Word in Medicine.
Address to undergraduates, University of Toronto, 1903. 2 Grossman, Robert MD: Dean’s Commencement
Address, New York University School of Medicine, 2015. 3 Osler, Sir William: Aequanimitas. Valedictory Address,
University of Pennsylvania May 1, 1889.
Seymour Katz, MD, MACG.
Dr. Katz has been a practicing gastroenterologist since 1971 and a member of the College since 1977. He served as ACG President from 1995 to 1996. He is affiliated with North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Center and NYU Langone Medical Center.
We all give. r We give our time, we give our talents, and we give our money, because it is in our nature as physicians. In the end, we give because we know that it will help the lives of others. Philanthropy is personal, and I have decided to support our chosen profession in the most meaningful way possible. We are fortunate to be able to practice gastroenterology and care for GI patients, knowing that the future of our ability to practice gastroenterology is dependent on innovations that bring new treatments and techniques into our world. Innovation means research, followed by discovery, and then implementation. Securing philanthropic funding of clinical research is one of the most important missions of the American College of Gastroenterology —just think of the innovations that have occurred over the last 30 years! I am proud to pay it forward by supporting the ACG Institute for Clinical Research and Education, and I invite you to join with me in improving our ability to care for our patients.
Harry E. Sarles, Jr., MD, FACG ACG Past President 2013–2014 Garland, TX
Ways to Give Join Dr. Harry Sarles and support the research and education mission of the ACG Institute. Please consider a gift using the envelope inserted in this issue of ACG MAGAZINE, or you can make a tax-deductible gift online at members.gi.org/donate. The mission of the American College of Gastroenterology Institute for Clinical Research and Education is to promote digestive health through education of the clinician, the patient and the public, to support clinical research and innovation in gastroenterology and hepatology, and to raise public awareness about prevention of digestive disease.
Philanthropy is L personal
