Applaud you for revisiting those refusals that I'm sure were often a hard pill to swallow at the time. I am an RN for 35+ years and in my varied experiences it's a rare thing for most docs to step down from their pedestals. Bravo!
I should include the one complaint about me to my state medical board which alleges that I am engaged in baby human trafficking while I work on the night shift in the hospital. Look it up!
The board wrote to me letting me know they will not investigate that claim and that I was free to read the text of the complaint.
You sum it all up here: “What we end up doing is dictated by uninformed choice, random selection, position availability, successes, and failures.”
Probably the reason it is almost impossible to explain or decipher some occurrences unless in retrospect with the results at our disposal. I hope this will inspire me to muster the courage to write about my CV of failures before the time it took you to narrate yours. Beautiful write up from a physician par excellence, that motivates the ones that are coming up!
I think I may have to put one of these together to share with our residents. This would be a great way to role model the idea that it's okay (in fact, helpful) to be open about your shortcomings!
Dr. Cifu, regarding your CV of failures, I should add that in my own case the most resounding ones have often come precisely from challenging the establishment, prevailing editorial policies, or the reigning paradigm. One such instance occurred when BMJ summarily rejected an essay of mine—born from a critical review of the literature and supported by solid scientific arguments—arguing that Evidence-Based Medicine itself is entering a phase of decline, having been progressively “hacked,” much like medical practice, by vested interests.
Under those circumstances, and just to lighten the negative balance a bit (ha ha ha), I might suggest removing from your list those rejections that fall into this particular category.
In that spirit, I once proposed imagining a different intellectual movement: Sense-Based Medicine—where prudence, judgment, and clinical sensibility prevail over methodological dogma, and where the physician’s primary allegiance is restored to its rightful place: the well-being of the patient.
Of course, Sensible Medicine seems to be moving in that direction. Congratulations.
"prudence, judgment, and clinical sensibility prevail over methodological dogma, and where the physician’s primary allegiance is restored to its rightful place: the well-being of the patient."
Oh Adam, what a great exercise! I found myself giggling as I continued to read down the list. Ugh. Everyone should be brave enough to list their perceived failures and take a look back at the winding path that got us here today. You are the man you're supposed to be, so congratulations on all that personal development. Truly, none of it was failure.
Casting these experiences as “failures” seems self-critical. Not being accepted to one’s most-desired colleges is soul-crushing to an 18- (or 22-) year-old, when one’s self worth is inextricably bound to the opinion’s of others. The process of finding the groups of people most receptive to one’s ideas can be a lengthy and frustrating process (see Galileo Galilei), and should not define one’s intrinsic value. In fact, it is the necessarily circuitous journeys that we all take, and the lessons we learn from them that forge our unique characters. Perhaps better to describe these so-called failures as “paths not taken”.
In the 15 years I taught human developmental biology to would-be-medical-student undergraduates, I had the opportunity to review my own very winding path to physician during many one-on-one conversations with students, usually around requests to write letters of recommendations to medical school. The looks of astonishment during the telling and the realizations that there is no one set path to one’s goals were perhaps the most rewarding results of these interactions. Adam, be proud of your path; it has made you who you are today. Were you somebody else, we would be poorer.
I thought you were going to share failures at the bedside. Although it’s a short list, vastly outnumbered by the triumphs I recall all of them, in painful detail. Knowing exactly the moment that you took the wrong road. I don’t think I can even commit to a password-protected Word document.
This is a super good idea, and I enjoyed this article very much. I'll write my own list soon, and marvel at the wonderful lives we are privileged to live on this earth, even with all the setbacks, disappointments, and random chaos.
As a dentist, I'm not in the target audience of your talks. That said, I can tell you that much of what you write in this space is directly relevant to my practice and my life. Hope I get a chance to see you in person one of these days.
Applaud you for revisiting those refusals that I'm sure were often a hard pill to swallow at the time. I am an RN for 35+ years and in my varied experiences it's a rare thing for most docs to step down from their pedestals. Bravo!
You still Rock!!!!
I should include the one complaint about me to my state medical board which alleges that I am engaged in baby human trafficking while I work on the night shift in the hospital. Look it up!
The board wrote to me letting me know they will not investigate that claim and that I was free to read the text of the complaint.
You sum it all up here: “What we end up doing is dictated by uninformed choice, random selection, position availability, successes, and failures.”
Probably the reason it is almost impossible to explain or decipher some occurrences unless in retrospect with the results at our disposal. I hope this will inspire me to muster the courage to write about my CV of failures before the time it took you to narrate yours. Beautiful write up from a physician par excellence, that motivates the ones that are coming up!
Wow, I love this, Adam.
I think I may have to put one of these together to share with our residents. This would be a great way to role model the idea that it's okay (in fact, helpful) to be open about your shortcomings!
Humor and humility - what a wonderful way to start the day, and a stark reminder how little there is of each on display today. Thanks for the piece!
Dr. Cifu, regarding your CV of failures, I should add that in my own case the most resounding ones have often come precisely from challenging the establishment, prevailing editorial policies, or the reigning paradigm. One such instance occurred when BMJ summarily rejected an essay of mine—born from a critical review of the literature and supported by solid scientific arguments—arguing that Evidence-Based Medicine itself is entering a phase of decline, having been progressively “hacked,” much like medical practice, by vested interests.
Under those circumstances, and just to lighten the negative balance a bit (ha ha ha), I might suggest removing from your list those rejections that fall into this particular category.
In that spirit, I once proposed imagining a different intellectual movement: Sense-Based Medicine—where prudence, judgment, and clinical sensibility prevail over methodological dogma, and where the physician’s primary allegiance is restored to its rightful place: the well-being of the patient.
Of course, Sensible Medicine seems to be moving in that direction. Congratulations.
"prudence, judgment, and clinical sensibility prevail over methodological dogma, and where the physician’s primary allegiance is restored to its rightful place: the well-being of the patient."
Nice
The knowledge gained from failures in virtually all fields is prodigious and permanent.
Success massages the ego,
but is ephemeral.
Ben Hourani, MD, MBA
Oh Adam, what a great exercise! I found myself giggling as I continued to read down the list. Ugh. Everyone should be brave enough to list their perceived failures and take a look back at the winding path that got us here today. You are the man you're supposed to be, so congratulations on all that personal development. Truly, none of it was failure.
Casting these experiences as “failures” seems self-critical. Not being accepted to one’s most-desired colleges is soul-crushing to an 18- (or 22-) year-old, when one’s self worth is inextricably bound to the opinion’s of others. The process of finding the groups of people most receptive to one’s ideas can be a lengthy and frustrating process (see Galileo Galilei), and should not define one’s intrinsic value. In fact, it is the necessarily circuitous journeys that we all take, and the lessons we learn from them that forge our unique characters. Perhaps better to describe these so-called failures as “paths not taken”.
In the 15 years I taught human developmental biology to would-be-medical-student undergraduates, I had the opportunity to review my own very winding path to physician during many one-on-one conversations with students, usually around requests to write letters of recommendations to medical school. The looks of astonishment during the telling and the realizations that there is no one set path to one’s goals were perhaps the most rewarding results of these interactions. Adam, be proud of your path; it has made you who you are today. Were you somebody else, we would be poorer.
The collection of rejection or the recollection of rejection.
I thought you were going to share failures at the bedside. Although it’s a short list, vastly outnumbered by the triumphs I recall all of them, in painful detail. Knowing exactly the moment that you took the wrong road. I don’t think I can even commit to a password-protected Word document.
This is a super good idea, and I enjoyed this article very much. I'll write my own list soon, and marvel at the wonderful lives we are privileged to live on this earth, even with all the setbacks, disappointments, and random chaos.
I LOVE this. It reminds me of dreadful portions of my career. But I agree with you that it is therapeutic. Thanks for the memories.
Love this, Adam!
As a dentist, I'm not in the target audience of your talks. That said, I can tell you that much of what you write in this space is directly relevant to my practice and my life. Hope I get a chance to see you in person one of these days.