THE MAGIC OF BLUE ICE

By Helane Fronek, MD, FACP, FASVLM, FAMWA

Stepping Onto One

of Antarctica’s many islands, we were stunned by the otherworldly array of icebergs sitting on the beach. Each shape was unique, as if a sculptor had spent hours intentionally creating its distinctive points and crevices. And while the beautiful shapes alone were awe-inspiring, what was most stunning was that many of them were blue.

Growing up in Wisconsin, I lived in snow and ice for years. Accustomed to seeing gray snow along roadways and yellow snow marking the routes of dogwalkers, I had never seen blue snow before. I stood transfixed, as my mind tried to reconcile something that seemed as if it shouldn’t exist. It made me wonder what else I miss in life because it falls outside my lived experience.

Our ability to completely block out what we don’t expect is humorously illustrated in a selective attention video by Simons and Chabris on YouTube, in which 50% of people fail to notice a person in a gorilla costume walking across a court while people pass basketballs to each other. Our minds’ resistance to seeing anything it has not already experienced or is not expecting is not a trivial aspect of human nature. In fact, it underlies a lot of injustice and limits our appreciation of the variety in life.

When we develop an opinion of any group, we tend to see similar behavior in other members of the group, regardless of how they behave. This is how implicit bias forms. After noticing a pattern of behavior in an individual, confirmation bias encourages us to interpret their future actions through the lens of what we have already witnessed. While biases can be useful by helping us quickly formu- late ideas about patients, they can also impair our assessment and treatment. Well documented, inequitable medical treatment of the elderly, women, obese patients, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people stems from these biases, hindering our ability to provide the best care to each patient. On a broader scale, they contribute to injustices at every level of society.

While improving the appropriateness of patient care and reducing injustice are important goals, another reason to examine the effect of our expectations is that they limit our joy in life. Expecting each day to be the same prevents us from noticing moments of beauty, kindness, connection, and awe — experiences that make our lives feel worthwhile and special. Two simple practices can help us overcome these limitations. Concluding each day by asking what felt surprising or meaningful can help us remember experiences that can contribute to our experience of life as joyful, consequential or even sacred. And when we encounter a new situation, we can pause and ask, “What more do I notice?” In these ways, we can see past our expectations and appreciate more of what life has to offer. Like the beautiful, otherworldly experience of blue ice.

Dr. Fronek is an assistant professor of clinical medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine and a Certified Physician Development Coach, CPCC, PCC. Dr. Fronek was a member of CMA for 21 years and is now an Active Retired Member.