Benefactor/Leaders

Love and truth form a good leader; sound leadership is founded on loving integrity.

Proverbs 20:28 (MSG)

In his recent book, Medical Catastrophe: Confessions of an Anesthesiologist, Ronald W. Dworkin. M.D., describes his life and identity as an anesthesiologist.  His thesis is that there is a loss of understanding of what it means to be a doctor with the loss of physician leaders. This book is also a memoir documenting personal loss he and his family have felt.  He shares some complicated medical “misses” and “near misses” of his anesthesia practice.  

I have seen most of the catastrophes that Dr. Dworkin shares.  I also share his concern about the loss of medicine as a vocation (my word).  He primarily sees a corporate world of medical technology with a craftsman identity of physicians.  It is an understandable perspective given his speciality and history.  The larger cultural forces have pushed all of us into an “unhappy” corner.  His solution is less clear but seem to reside in virtues like courage and a community that will reaffirm the importance of doctors as leaders.

I still see the reality of vocational calling that can be found in the applications to medical schools.  What we need to be, as older doctors, are mentors to those who will be benefactor/leaders of the future.  We can do this by naming the healing (my word) that is also found in Doctor Dworkin’s catastrophe stories and the benefactor/leaders that show up in times of great need.

Marvin

References

Dworkin, R. W. (2017). Medical Catastrophe: Confessions of an Anesthesiologist (1 ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Hage, M. L. (2011). Healing Agent Education.

http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2011/11/healing-agent-education.html

Dungy, T. (2011). The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams That Win Consistently. Tyndale Momentum.

Hage, M. L. (2012). “Burnout” and a “Path Report”

http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2012/08/burnout-and-path-report.html

Hage, M. L. (2012). God’s Grace.

http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2012/10/gods-grace.html

Hage, M.L. (2013). God’s Grace Revisited.
http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2013/10/gods-grace-revisited.html

Healing Charity

“Mudding a House” Hands

Tabitha Ministry Kenya

Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, 

which in Greek is Dorcas.  

She was devoted to good works and acts of charity.

Acts 9:36 (NRSV)

Did you here the joke about the family physician, the psychiatrist and internist who were all asked how they would fix the practice of medicine?  You can find their answers by reading their books (see references; Downing, Nussbaum and Rosenthal), but it is not easy reading and it certainly is no joke!   These authors are longing for another and deeper dimension to what they see and do everyday.  It will not be found in new technology, another degree, or a new title with more compensation.

My diagnosis and prescription is that we have lost a sense of charity and the joy that was an integral part of our identity.  Maybe that is what can be rediscovered in our vocation. It may mean getting our hands dirty at the same time we rethink our professional identities.

I have seen it in the dedicated lives of physicians, nurses, physical therapists who have defied the dominant medical culture.  What you will find in those lives is a deep sense of charity and joy.

Thanks be to God for these other voices and their works of charity.

Marvin

References

Personal photo from a house mudding with “Tabitha Ministry”

http://tabithakenya.blogspot.com/

Downing, R. (2011). Biohealth: Beyond Medicalization: Imposing Health. Wipf & Stock Pub.

Nussbaum, A. M. (2016). The Finest Traditions of My Calling: One Physician’s Search for the Renewal of Medicine (1 ed.). Yale University Press.

Rosenthal, E. (2017). An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back (1 ed.). Penguin Press.

Hage, M. L. (2013). Joy.

http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2013/06/joy.html

Hage, M.L. (2016) Joy of Healing

http://healingagents.blogspot.com/2016/05/joy-of-healing.html