Impact

Brace yourself. Get ready. I am about to deliver news about the status of your cancer and whether you responded to the treatment I persuaded you to try. Wait for me, I know you are anxious. Understand that I bring you the truth. Good or bad it is disbelieving. And what I say cannot change.

When looking at the statistics associated with cancer it is more likely for me to be delivering news that my patients do not want to hear but have to. I have also shared moments of triumph and victory with many patients. The impact of this news regardless of what it is, is the truth of the situation. Say it the way it is and help the patient understand. It is my experience which has proven so very valuable. Understanding mishaps and bad decisions in medicine has been a cornerstone in improving my level of the care that I provide to each patient. This is what I teach the next generation of doctors.

What impact does seeing and telling the truth about cancer have on me? Is is the seed of my understanding that grows into a tree. It offers me a chance to improve on what I have already learned and challenge myself to do better each time. I am more than me; I am an institution I teach so many that “art” of medicine. I store all the nuances that occurred that helped shape the decision I made. I draw on so many instances where I could not find a right answer, where I saw a positive outcome in others that helped me make a better decision for each individual. “Practice makes perfect” was the old idiom.

I thank my patients for making me a better physician for the next person I have to serve. We are partners in this reality and it is the truth that nourishes our growth.

Mo