MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDEN
KNOWING MY WHY WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR WHY, YOU WILL KNOW YOUR WAY MOC, EMR and CMS, oh my! Abbreviations that have come to bring shivers to our spines and make some of us leave medicine altogether. We are living in an age where the physician burnout rate rivals the national obesity rate, both of which are directly impacting health in the United States. On top of that, there is direct patient access to medical records, now filled with subjective terms where everyone is “pleasant” and never “obese,” which in the long run is not doing any favors for the health of our patients. Speaking of patients, they have become “clients,” “customers” or “consumers,” which in my mind changes the dynamic of the relationship and makes my job harder. I need to be their doctor—not their friend—and sometimes it means saying things that are not going to sit well. Did you also know that the scoring system used by U.S. News and World Report is dropping the Safety measure and replacing it with Patient Satisfaction? So, apparently you can let your patients fall or get a line infection or C. diff, but as long as they are happy you are going to be rated highly. What is going on? No wonder we are burning out. With so much of our field in turmoil and out of our control, who can we turn to for support and guidance? Considering how the field of medicine has changed over the last 20 years, I think about what has kept me buoyant and excited and gets me out of bed in the morning. It is knowing my Why. When you know your Why, you will know your way. If you have a Why, it gives you the courage and energy you need to succeed and be happy, or at least some resilience to prevent burnout. But how did I find my Why? It wasn’t until I reflected on my professional home—the ACG— that I realized there was an entity, a resource to help me define my Why. For every step of my career and training, ACG was there for me, and continues to be to this day. It was literally in the last century when, as a fellow attending the North American Conference of Gastroenterology Fellows, I realized how impactful the ACG could be. At that meeting, I
6 | GI.ORG/ACGMAGAZINE
“Considering how the field of medicine has changed over the last 20 years, I think about what has kept me buoyant and excited and gets me out of bed in the morning. It is knowing my Why. When you know your Why, you will know your way.”
made long-lasting friends and had the chance to meet true thought leaders and experts in gastroenterology and hepatology in a small, non-threatening setting. From there I never looked back. I aligned with a society that wanted me, as a clinician interested in clinical research, to excel in the field. My first research support was a pilot grant from the ACG Institute, an entity whose existence is to help educate and promote growth in the field through funding of research proposals both large and small. As a new graduate after fellowship, I reached out and asked to be on a committee and volunteered for projects. It was through that committee work that I began to understand the importance of the structure of the ACG, which includes its Board of Governors, comprised of local gastroenterologists who at the grassroots level make changes to our everyday practice. So, I ran for Governor in a two-man race, and came in second. After licking my wounds, I figured I was meant for other tasks on behalf of the College. Being Course Co-Director of the annual Postgraduate Course gave me new insight into how it really is impactful to help our colleagues deliver the best care possible. Being on the Board of Trustees gave me a deeper appreciation for all that the College does for us, and I am grateful I had the chance to learn that. From advocacy on Capitol Hill, support of international society meetings, and selection of editorial staff for the Red Journal, the ACG is ever thoughtful in how to improve the practice and delivery of care in gastroenterology. And don’t forget, getting to go to an Annual Scientific Meeting that has NO registration fee—how rare is that? So when I am asked, “What does the ACG mean to me?” it is an easy answer. ACG for me is a place where I am welcome and is a source for all of my needs, whether professional—in terms of education, research funding or a voice on my behalf at the national level—or personal—in terms of leadership training or help with burnout. From ACG, I have received more than I could ever give.
—Sunanda V. Kane, MD, MSPH, FACG
