Elated. Content. And thankful. Today was a good day. I walked in to a clinic room and I asked “so what do you do for a living?” and the answer was well I am a teacher. I usually pause. I have an immense rush into my heart as I remember when I was a child looking at my teacher in awe loving every minute of the knowledge they had to share with me. Never did I dream that I would be in a place to return that favor that they gave to me. I usually do a “Mo” Bow and say your student has come back to help you.
In the back scenes of my clinical practice, I am bombarded with students, residents and fellows. Each at a different point in their learning curve. I try to teach what is not written. The art of medicine. Today I showed one of them how important it is to forget the rules and humble themselves to understand who the real teacher is. Each human has a journey that they must face, alone. I have touched on the voice in our head that is unique to us. But if we share this journey with others then we are not alone. I watched today as one human spoke to another. New connections were made. I watched my student being engulfed by the journey they were learning from. What a pleasure it is to be a part of that creation. To see the minds of those who learn to grow. It makes me proud. And today I am joyful.
My day was filled with atoms racing in all directions having a purpose and happy. I found myself dancing in rhythm as I “bounced” between the rooms delivering good news, all around. It was a good day. We had excitement build up in our minds like 4 year olds when we made a discovery. It was infectious, chattering away, feeling accomplished and on top of the world. We could not even sit still. I got a lot of hugs today sharing in the relief of being told you will be ok. What can I say except, I love that ! Perhaps that day is coming when I can walk in and always say – Hey there, you will be just fine. Today was a taste of what I see in our future.
My students watch me practice and I watch them grow. “To know” has been the treasure of the learner. I am teaching them to wield the power of this knowledge to understand how to make gold from metal; it is priceless. I said today that what you learn my student you must teach others, share with everyone and make sure you know who taught you.
Each experience shared. Each Journey travelled. Each human that I meet.
What wonderful teachers you all are.
Mo
DOCTOR MO IOWA 
Ok mo, My day has finally settled down now from the stress and here is my response I know you so anxiously await…lol You are an awesome doctor and teacher…I cannot speak as a co worker but as a patient and what a gift you have. I have learned a lot from you and the way you present the situation is unique and clear. It’s a pleasure to read your blogs every week and I will continue to forward these on to my fellow melanoma friends, family and such. I only wish my daughter who is in her 4th year of nursing could have a teacher like you…oh the possibilities she would have if you were working by her side as she learns and grows in the medical field.. Keep up the great work because I am counting on all your wonderful knowledge you have to offer. My hat goes off to you my amazing doctor of science… Claire P.S. don’t forget you should write a book….I am waiting…..
Sent from my iPad
This is very inspiring. As a learner on the path to explore a largely unknown world, I sometimes find myself lose focus with voices echoing “follow this protocol and this guideline….” All patients are teachers for me, as every bit of knowledge that I have learned is from a patient or patients. I wish one day I could be fully equipped with skills and knowledge and share them back to my patients. Most importantly, by the end of the day, I hope we all smile.
Thank you, Dr. Mo, for sharing your pearl.
Dr Mo:
Good to hear from you again. Good to know that teaching is so important to you. We certainly enjoyed the way you approached our own clinical experience over the nearly 3 years that we had to get to know you. Even I, the lowly electrical engineer, always felt I was learning something about that awful disease, surrounded by my medically astute family. It was comforting to be able to converse with you on that biological level. Thank you for your openness to all of our questions. Thanks for the pictures on the whiteboard and our lunch sacks. Thanks for the accelerator / braking analogies. It all helped.
As I approach my 40th year with my company, it becomes even clearer to me how the diversity of thought that we have begun to see in our working engineering demographic these days is so critically important. For discovery. For innovation. For literally miraculous things.
And even when the quest for cures or understanding of causes of these diseases continues to elude even our best attempts for discovery and innovation, it is the constant drumbeat of teaching that helps us cope with the disillusionment that we all feel. In knowing… we have a much better picture of what we are up against.
I am happy that your day was full of good news! Yes, may the future hold more of those days for all of us. It has almost been 6 full months since my spouse reluctantly departed this planet. A week of vacation solitude in Western Michigan awaits. I hope to reconnect with her Spirit along the same woodland trails and sandy shorelines which we once shared together.
And if during our re-connection time next week she whispers something to me that we both think you don’t know about this awful disease, you can bet this lowly engineer will be calling you as soon as I am in cell phone range again!
God bless. And stay out of trouble.
Great post. Thanks for this meaningful and inspiring post. I may use some in my sermon next Sunday morning. I am XXXXX XXXXXX pastor in Waterloo.
Thank you. I am honored.
Mo