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Tyler Johnson, MD, is a physician, author, educator, and humanitarian. He is a medical oncologist at Stanford University. He leads Stanford’s inpatient oncology services, and is one of the principal faculty members of the Stanford Educators-4-CARE program. Dr. Johnson is an author with a growing reputation for insightful analysis of the intersection of medicine, ethics, and spirituality; his writings have been featured by Religion News Service, the Salt Lake Tribune, BYU Studies, Dialogue, and The San Jose Mercury News. Dr. Johnson co-hosts "The Doctor's Art," the world's leading podcast dedicated to the examination of humanism in medicine.
“There is an element to [being a physician] that you just can’t find good words to describe other than things like spiritual and sacred.” While some have trouble finding the right words for it, Dr. Tyler Johnson provides us with a great one - ineffable. Tune in to an enlightening discussion with author, educator, host of ‘The Doctor’s Art’, and medical oncologist at Stanford University, Dr. Johnson, as we explore the ineffable side of medicine that drives us. Join us as we tap into the spiritual side of medicine, find out why kneeling and being eye-level to a patient can “puncture the aura of arrogance,” and why “we have to hold a space for mystery within medicine” to keep our passion from extinguishing.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Treat rigorously but care tenderly. In order to care we must relate, and a quick way to puncture the aura of arrogance typified with a doctor is to kneel at a patient’s bedside, or at least be eye level. Seeing someone eye to eye communicates a message that says I’m here to serve you.
2. On the path to achieving great heights, don’t forget to remember the permanent things like relationships and the journey that sustain you. Your promotion or job will not love you back.
3. It doesn’t have to be a church or an organization but lend yourself to a group that holds you accountable to a higher power or standard than yourself. Connect with something bigger than yourself that makes you reflect upon your actions in ways you don’t already. -
Marcel van den Brink, MD, is the Head and Alan N. Houghton Chair of the Division of Hematologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is internationally renowned for his work in the field of bone marrow transplantation, the gut microbiome, and immunotherapy. He is also the Co-Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and Chairman of the Board of DKMS, an international nonprofit organization devoted to bone marrow donor registration. He is a recipient of numerous prestigious awards and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and he has been elected to the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences for his contributions in the field of hematologic malignancies.
“Finding solutions is often as simple as shutting up and listening to what people formulate as the problem and what they have thought of as the answer. Without fail, I’m surprised that they’ve got something better than I could have come up with.” Join us in this episode of The Medicine Mentors where Chairman of Heme Malignancies at MSKCC, Dr. Marcel van den Brink, shares tips of effective leadership. Tune in as we learn about the five-minute ‘no talking, only listening’ rule at the start of meetings and why the best leaders find comfort in not knowing everything.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. We will be leaders before we know it, and the simple formula of leadership is listening. When we conduct meetings, all we have to do is be quiet for the first five minutes and listen.
2. To know when we are ready to move on to the next stage, the next level, we have to know what we don’t know, that is, do we know how to prioritize what matters, and if not, are we ready to seek help for it?
3. Failure and success often follow a 9:1 ratio, and so, to increase our chances of success, we should try our hands in different endeavors to see where we can truly shine. 4. Just like listening is the pathway to leadership, respect is the pathway to teamwork, and we should be mindful of it in our day-to-day interactions. -
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Saby George, MD, FACP, is a Professor of Oncology and Medicine within the Department of Medicine and Director of Network Clinical Trials at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is a prominent clinical investigator in the kidney cancer space. Dr George is passionate about teaching and mentoring and is a champion advocate for his fellows.
“I was lucky enough to work with some great mentors and envisioned a career I’d like.” Illustrating the power of mentorship, we sit down with Dr. Saby George in a discussion on mentorship, best practices for researchers, and why it’s important for mentors to be unselfish and encourage independence. Join us on another empowering episode of the Medicine Mentors, as we dive into the fine print of mentorship from a master researcher and lauded mentor. Tune in as Dr. George shares with us the mentors that helped guide him to the position he’s in now, how he actively champions mentees by offering independent opportunities, and how the best piece of advice he got was simply to be more patient.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. When looking for success in medicine, you must look at the legacy you’re leaving behind. Mentorship helps us create an environment that continuously strives to push the field forward and leave behind a track-record of improving.
2. A few things to keep in mind when looking for mentors are: competing interests between a mentor and mentee should be avoided, and entering the relationship with honesty and truthfulness will prove to provide a strong relationship.
3. When identifying the traits of a great mentor, you should be able to see that your mentor is invested in seeing you succeed, is unselfish, and able to give honest feedback along with reasonable goals and expectations. 4. While it can be comfortable to work under the supervision of a mentor, a good mentee should seek out opportunities for growth and independence. Your mentor should provide you with roles and opportunities that help you feel comfortable in your skin. 5. A small but often overlooked detail for clinical and basic science researchers is to make sure you’re setting realistic timelines and following through. Especially for conferences or studies, be sure to follow through and stay persistent. -
Enrico Novelli MD, is a classical (benign) hematologist, the Section Chief of the Benign Hematology, and an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is the Medical Director of the UPMC Adult Sickle Cell Disease Program. He obtained his medical degree from the University of Milan, Italy in 1996. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University, where he developed expertise in cellular biology and gene therapy. Subsequently, he pursued his residency and fellowship at UPMC, where he joined as faculty after graduating. He has numerous publications about vascular dysfunction in sickle cell disease and serves as a scientific reviewer for many journals, the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association.
“It’s an important component of mentoring; things you may not necessarily teach formally but that you can communicate through nonverbal behavior.” Illustrating the importance of learning “beyond our horizons” through mentors who showed him lessons outside of the classroom, Dr. Enrico Novelli joins us in another episode of The Medicine Mentors. Tune in as we learn about his journey from Italy to the States and how he continues to lead by showing “optimism, excitement, and faith” in every mentoring opportunity.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. It’s easy to feel stuck in a situation but with new experiences come new perspectives, be sure to broaden your horizons and seek new challenges on your journey.
2. A good mentoring relationship requires a fine balance of two energies. A mentor should inspire passion and curiosity while remaining on the sidelines, and a mentee must be receptive to feedback and be coachable in order to grow.
3. It’s important to ask yourself sooner rather than later what your long-term career goals are. Finding a niche can require some experimentation, especially in academia. No matter the direction, success requires a plan. -
Natasha Chida, MD, MSPH, is the Myron L. Weisfeldt Professor of Medicine, Director of the Osler Medical Residency Program and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Chida earned her MD and MPH from University of Miami where she stayed on to complete her internal medicine residency prior to coming to Hopkins to pursue a fellowship in Infectious Diseases. A passionate clinician educator, Dr. Chida has served on many national education committees for the ACGME and Infectious Diseases Society of America. She is passionate about career development for physicians-in-training, the advancement of women in medicine, and how to best train residents and fellows in HIV care.
“Being intentional around what you want to accomplish is helpful because it prevents you from spinning off into something that you don’t really care about or want to do.” Today we learn the art of building our mission statement and the science of staying true to it with Dr. Natasha Chida, Director of Osler Residency Program at Johns Hopkins. Tune in as Dr. Chida shares tips on identifying our true north, utilizing the village of mentors around us, and most importantly growing with intention to get the most out of our training years. Ultimately “if you know what your mission is and if you feel like you’re fulfilling it, that to me is success.”
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. In order to make the right decisions you need to know your mission. Whether that’s been instilled in you since childhood or comes through new inspirations, balance is all about clarifying your mission.
2. When figuring out what your mission is, look back at your best and worst days. Piece out what happened in both that made them good or bad. Seek out the activities that bring you joy and be sure to re-evaluate when necessary.
3. In order to make the most out of any mentoring relationship, you must be intentional. Yes, they want to help you but you need to be able to define what you’re looking to achieve and proactively monitor that as they help you on the journey. -
Margaret Tempero, MD, is an internationally renowned expert in pancreatic cancer, a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Pancreas Center at the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center. She organized the first Pancreas Cancer Think Tank in 1999 and chairs The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network's (PanCAN) Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. She was recently inducted into the prestigious Giants of Cancer Care. A thought leader in cancer, she is a former president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Pancreatic Association and currently serves on the ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation Board. She also serves as the Editor of Chief of Journal of National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
“I remember asking a mentor of mine, ‘What does success mean?’” In her mind, Dr. Margaret Tempero expected an obvious answer: Some prestigious designation, a decorated award, maybe some groundbreaking research to her name; but when Dr. Ann Kessinger responded with the most fundamental truth of medicine, it revolutionized her medical philosophy to its core: “You're successful when you're improving the lives of your patients, plain and simple.” Join us for another episode of The Medicine Mentors as Dr. Margaret Tempero shares the true definition of success in medicine, teaches us how to improve the lives of our patients, and emphasizes getting to know the patient as a person before we know them by their disease.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Success in medicine is found when you’re improving the lives of your patients. Regardless of how you do it, the patient must be the first and center focus.
2. Get to know your patient as a person before you know them as a disease. It’s as simple as asking them to tell you about themselves. Know the patient so you can help cater your discussion to a field that they understand.
3. Mentorship can be thought of like tennis; a bidirectional process where if your opponent is better, you do better. Mentees have to bring the full initiative to the mentor so they can play back. -
Supriya Gupta Mohile, MD, MS, is the Philip and Marilyn Wehrheim Professor in hematology/oncology and co-leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control research program at Wilmot Cancer Institute. She also serves as the Vice-Chair for Academic Affairs in the Department of Medicine at the University of Rochester. She leads the Cancer Care Delivery Research (CCDR) efforts in the Research Base and sits on the CCDR Steering Committee at the NCI. Dr. Mohile is internationally renowned for advancing the field of geriatric oncology.
To conduct a successful mentorship relationship, “We have to manage conflict and expectations,” says Dr. Supriya Gupta Mohile. She draws an intriguing contrast between mini-conflicts that are nothing more than minor peeves and major conflicts, which, if not addressed, can lead to irreparable rifts between us and our mentors. Tune in to another episode of The Medicine Mentors as we discuss the underpinnings of patient communication, managing conflicts within our mentorship relationships, and how to set clear expectations and follow up on our commitments.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. If we're not having thoughtful engagement with patients and families, and we're just kind of going from one thing to the next and we're not making those emotional connections, we as clinicians will burn out.
2. Mentorship is a partnership; it's being a teacher; and so, as a teacher, they have to understand what the mentee needs. And it's not for the mentee to be them, it's for them to understand what the mentee wants with their goals and to help them get to those goals.
3. Conflict in our mentorship relationships should be managed using open communication and setting clear expectations, and then following up on it. -
Annie Im, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is also the Program Director for Hematology & Oncology Fellowship program. Her research is focused in hematologic malignancies, drug development, stem cell transplantation, and graft-versus-host-disease. She received her medical degree from Stony Brook School of Medicine in New York, and then completed both her residency in internal medicine and her hematology/oncology fellowship from UPMC.
“I think the most impressive thing is when a physician can make you feel like you’re the most important person in that moment.” Encouraging us to go the extra mile for patients by being present, Dr. Annie Im joins us in this episode of the Medicine Mentors as we discuss the fine details of empowering patients by giving them our full presence. Tune in as Dr. Im spreads the message of staying present for all parts of our lives, reminding us that we won’t escape the rush hour busyness of physician life but that by being present we can learn to find a balance that works for any given moment.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Even though you might be busy in your day, your patients will remember you as you are in the time that you meet with them. So be sure to stay focused and present so they can feel like they’re the most important person to you at that moment.
2. When finding a work-life balance, think of it like rush hour traffic. Sometimes it will be easy to balance things and move with ease, but it’s important to know that there will be times in your career when work or your personal life will take precedence and need more attention. The key is to find balance in all of those phases.
3. Whether it’s research, personal life, or career trajectory, mentors don’t all come with the same expertise so be sure to find a variety of mentors that can help you in each part of your life. 4. The onus is on the mentee to reach out to a mentor so when looking out for hiccups in the relationship, stay empathetic and realize that a mentor will have their own business and may not tend to every need. Long lasting relationships require work but pay off in the long run. 5. Successful people are those that find their drive through passion. Seeing that extra patient and going the extra mile isn’t just about dedication but also passion. When working passionately, things like burnout and work-life balance become easy. -
Robert Brodsky, MD, is a world-renowned hematologist and the current Director of the Division of Hematology, as well as Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. He focuses on bone marrow failure states, specifically the use of bone marrow transplants in sickle cell disease and aplastic anemia. His lab studies complement mediated disorders and he has also developed the diagnostic assay that is used to diagnose PNH around the world. Dr. Brodsky is a recipient of numerous national awards and was recently elected as the President of the American Society of Hematology, the largest professional society of hematologists in the world.
“I remember driving down 83. I just couldn't wait to get into work…that excitement, that flutter in your heart, that's what defines success for me.” A sentiment passed down through now three generations of hematologists, Dr. Robert Brodsky, Director of the Division of Hematology at Johns Hopkins and President of the American Society of Hematology, joins us for a grounding conversation. Tune in as we dive into the leaders that showed him what it truly means to love your job, how asking the right research questions is the biggest predictor of success, and why it takes decades to build a career that’s worth having.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Work-life balance is not every day. That is a critical distinction to understand, that overall, our lives should be balanced, but it's not an expectation we should come to work with every day. We should try to achieve the work-life balance globally, but not in a day-to-day, hour-to-hour fashion.
2. What is one of the biggest predictors of success? We connect it to the purpose behind the project: the Research Question. That's going to start the journey and create the flutter for us to come to work and pursue something that's actually going to have a meaningful change.
3. Life is likely to get more complicated as we move forward. The difficulty levels keep going up as we go to the next level, and therefore, if there's not a strong force driving us, we should not get to the next level just for the sake of getting there. It should be to reach an ultimate goal. -
Amy Jones, MD, is the Program Director of Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She also serves as the Medical Director of the Inpatient Hematology-Oncology Unit for the Parkland Health & Hospital System. She is a founding Co-Chair of the Parkland Cancer Improvement Committee and a recipient of the Niarchos Grant for Quality Improvement through ASCO. She serves on the Cancer in People with HIV/Kaposi Sarcoma Panel of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Dr. Jones has delivered a number of invited lectures and published numerous academic articles, and she serves as a course director for medical education at the fellowship and medical student levels.
“You can be a mom and hang out with your kids, have a husband who loves smoking meat, and still be a complete boss at work.” Between brisket and directing the Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern, Dr. Amy Jones teaches us a thing or two about keeping our hearts and minds full. Join us in this motivating episode with Dr. Jones, as she takes us through her earliest inspirations and how they’ve instilled in her a sense of service while making sure she has time to fill her own cup. Tune in as we talk about recharging our batteries and leaning on mentors, learning how to take charge as a mentee keeping your torch lit, and why it’s crucial to be able to tell your story.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. A good mentee is one that is honest about what they want and can take their goals across the finish line. Drive the relationship even when it’s uncomfortable because that’s what it takes for success.
2. When looking to the future, ask yourself what you dream of in a job and what your day-to-day life might look like. Write a letter that starts with who you are and what you’ve done, ending with where you’re going and how you’ll get there.
3. Balance is key for a long career. Because you have an ability to give back you also have the responsibility to serve, but in order to serve you have to be able to care for yourself, too. -
Adam M. Brufsky, MD, PhD is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He is also the co-director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center, and the Associate Director of Clinical Investigation at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. He is a prolific researcher and is actively involved in national oncology organizations.
On the path to being a doctor, getting caught up in the race of seeking credit and finding validation is easy. Here to remind us that true success in medicine means “affecting the lives of the people [we] care for and being a reliable source of help,” Dr. Adam Brufsky joins us on this episode of The Medicine Mentors. Tune in as we take a page from Dr. Brufsky’s book and learn why “you’ll get a lot more done in science and medicine if you don’t care as much about who gets the credit.”
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. During training and throughout your tenure as a physician, getting credit seems to be a race to the finish. But you’ll go further for longer if instead you support your peers and learn to put credit to the side; don’t miss the forest for the trees.
2. It’s easy to feel intimidated when reaching out for support, but remember that those in high positions only got there by standing on the shoulders of giants. Speak up and reach out and you’ll find most people will happily oblige.
3. Two principles every good mentor must follow are: being a role model in every aspect, from work-life balance to professional candor; and being present for a mentee despite the circumstance even if just to listen. 4. Two principles every good mentee must follow are: showing interest and involvement by following through on opportunities; and understanding when to say no, which is something a mentor could help with. -
Ralph Hruban, MD, is a world-renowned pancreatic cancer pathology expert. He serves as the Baxley Professor and Director of the Department of Pathology, and Director of the Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center at Johns Hopkins University. He co-founded the National Familial Pancreas Tumor Registry at Johns Hopkins in 1994, created an award-winning iPad application to teach pancreas pathology and an iPad and iPhone app for patients with pancreatic cancer. Dr. Hruban has authored more than 850 peer-reviewed manuscripts and ten books, including the standard textbook on pancreatic pathology (the AFIP Fascicle on Tumors of the Pancreas) and the World Health Organization “blue book” on tumors of the digestive tract. He has received numerous awards including the PanCAN Medical Visionary Award and the Ruth C. Brufsky Award of Excellence in Clinical Research for Pancreatic Cancer.
How did modern medicine get to where it is today? As much as it’s about scientific advances, it’s just as much about the people who overcame extreme hardships and helped forge not only advances in diagnostics and medicine, but also values and ethics of the medical profession. In this episode, Dr. Ralph Hruban highlights some of the pioneers of early American medicine from his new book, A Scientific Revolution: Ten Men and Women Who Reinvented American Medicine. Listen in as Dr. Hruban provides a fascinating glimpse into the trials and tribulations of America’s medical founders who played a fundamental role in transforming medicine from a trade into a science.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Not taking no for answer is the ultimate quintessential quality that we have seen in all of these medical pioneers who have been faced with hardships.
2. It’s important to reflect on where science would be today had the barriers of racism and sexism not been present.
3. Our current medical mentors fill an important role but there’s also value in historical mentors that help remind us of the medical professionals we aspire to be like. -
Pier Paolo Scaglioni, MD, is the Herbert F. Koch Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Hematology-Oncology at the University of Cincinnati. He also serves as the Associate Director for translational research at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. Dr. Scaglioni is a physician-scientist and leads a cancer biology research laboratory along with a clinical practice in malignant hematology. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institutes.
What is the most prized possession of Medicine? As Dr. Scaglioni puts it, "Mentorship is the Holy Grail of Medicine." But does it end there? Mentors have different facets to their personalities. How can a mentee distinguish and absorb those traits that are tailored to their own clinical practice? Furthermore, can a mentee navigate the wilderness of academia without a mentor? To answer these critical questions, we are joined by Dr. Pier Paolo Scaglioni, Professor of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati, on today's episode of Medicine Mentors. Tune in for more.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Mentorship is the holy grail of medicine. A mentor’s role is to help you facilitate the trajectory of your career and allow you to navigate its wilderness.
2. Mentorship brings different perspectives to the relationship. A mentee should be able to troubleshoot themselves out of default mode and try more enterprising ventures with the hand of a mentor steering their way.
3. Passion and commitment are the two predictors of success that are often reflected in our actions. -
Janet Abrahm, MD, is a nationally recognized expert in Palliative Medicine and Oncology and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School where she has been practicing at Dana Farber Cancer Institute for over 20 years. She has authored “The Comprehensive Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care in Patients with Cancer.” She was recently recognized with the 2022 AAHPM Award for Teaching and Mentoring and the Dana Farber’s Edward Benz Award for Mentorship of Women in Medicine.
“It's good to trust yourself, to have the courage of your convictions. But also be aware that it can lead you to not listen to criticism when you need to. Being a pioneer is a double-edged sword.” Dr. Janet Abrahm talks with us on walking the fine line between being confident and yet receptive to feedback. In this episode of The Medicine Mentors, nationally recognized mentor Dr. Janet Abrahm shares key insights on honing our ability to trust ourselves, combining feedback with self-confidence to reach better decisions and in the process escaping the bunker mentality.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Being a pioneer means trusting yourself but also reaching out to mentors and being open to feedback. You might think you’re the only one out there on the cutting edge but staying open and engaging with colleagues can reveal valuable and productive relationships you’d never imagine.
2. Just because you have an inclination doesn’t mean it’s a limitation. Recognize it now and be able to work with that and turn it into a strength as you move forward.
3. In order to continually progress in life, ask yourself these questions at regular intervals: Who am I? Am I happy or satisfied? Can and should I be doing this for five more years? -
Richard Francis Riedel, M.D., is the Program Director for the Duke Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program and Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at Duke University Medical Center where he also serves as an Associate Director for Clinical and Translational Research for the Duke Sarcoma Program. An internationally renowned sarcoma expert, Dr. Riedel has a clinical and research interest in identifying novel therapeutics for patients with soft tissue and bone sarcoma. He is active in many national bodies including the Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration and has taken an active role in developing the NCCN guideline committees for sarcoma.
“Choosing a mentor is probably the most important decision you’ll make during fellowship. In the sense that your mentor will then become a peer, an advocate, and someone who opens doors for you.” Having guided hundreds of trainees, Dr. Richard Riedel joins us in this episode of the Medicine Mentors for a retrospective look at his journey and some tips he’s learned along the way. Tune in as Dr. Riedel shares with us the importance of working with the three Ps in mind: being present, passionate, and purposeful; recognizing that a mentoring relationship is a two-way street; and how to realize success in the small accomplishments everyday.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. As a physician, your first major relationships are with patients. Given the short time you may have with them, take time to listen rather than speak. Engage with your patients and empathize with their worries to create room for stronger relationships.
2. The life of a physician can be stressful, taxing, and time-consuming. While you might think you’re the only one in the boat, your family and loved ones ride along with you whether you know or not. Dedicating time for your family is important to stay balanced with physicianship.
3. Mentoring relationships can be what you make of them but their potential is limitless and can stretch a lifetime with the right people. Be sure to choose wisely and find a mentor that not only advocates for you, but that you admire professionally and personally. 4. Whether it’s clinic based research or advocacy, achieving a broader goal of good in society requires the big three Ps: present, passionate, purposeful. If you love what you do every moment is appreciated, but it’s also important to ensure that time is aligned with your goals. -
Melissa Accordino, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Program Director of the Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program at Columbia University’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center. Through leading clinical research trials in cancer she has been bestowed grants from high profile foundations like The American Society of Clinical Oncology, The Hope Foundation, and The American Cancer Society, and many more. A leader in cancer research, she aims to improve the quality and delivery of cancer care and cancer survivorship within oncology.
“I tell my fellows, go meet with these big wigs. If you’re the one person in their day not asking them for a bunch of money and you just want some advice and let them talk, that’ll be the highlight of their day.” Accustomed to the reality of mentorship from both sides, Dr. Melissa Accordino joins us in this episode of the Medicine Mentors to remind us that asking for advice is good, but asking for advice early is better. “It's hard to admit that we do need the help and to yield that control...But I think in order to grow and be successful, it’s essential."
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Asking for help is good, but asking for help early is the secret sauce. When our teammates need help, we want to be able to take on the burden. And at the same time, when we need the help, we should lean on them.
2. We all have a lot more in common than we think. We can start by finding common ground with our potential mentor and even just make small talk. That makes the relationship build organically and turns it from a skill-based mentorship to life-based mentorship.
3. We should stay true to ourselves. It's important not to sit there to try and tell our mentors what we think they want to hear, because if they're really invested in helping us, then we need to be honest. -
Pamela Munster, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and a breast cancer specialist. She is the Director of the Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit, Co-leader of the Center for BRCA Research, and Co-leader of the Molecular Oncology Program at UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is also the founder of Alessa Therapeutics. She has authored the book Twisting Fate, in which she describes her journey as a breast cancer specialist to a breast cancer patient and back. She serves on multiple committees around the world which focus on developing new treatments for cancer and leads breast cancer awareness campaigns in the United States, United Arab Emirates, and India.
“Life in medicine is a marathon. It's not a sprint. There are many opportunities to reroute; there are many opportunities to succeed.” A competent physician is nurtured on a strong foundation of integrity in character and authenticity in practice, but an effective mentor is equally responsible for their growth. How can you as a budding physician instill these values in your career? Where can you find such a mentor? Join us on another episode of Medicine Mentors where we discuss these important questions with Dr. Pamela Munster.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Two qualities that should never be compromised in an effective role model or leader are integrity and authenticity.
2. Doctors have incredible power and responsibility bestowed upon them as caretakers. It should be used to channel ourselves toward the best we can do for our patients.
3. Effective mentors act as sounding boards and help the mentee achieve their maximum potential. As mentees, it is our job to actively seek out answers and define for ourselves, "What does success look like for me?" -
Robert Soiffer, MD, is the Chief of the Division of Hematologic Malignancies at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Worthington and Margaret Collette Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. A renowned malignant hematology researcher, Dr. Soiffer has served as President of the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and is the immediate past chair of the board of the National Marrow Donor Program. He has co-authored more than 400 peer-reviewed manuscripts, book chapters, review articles, editorials, and monographs.
“Early in my career, when I would mentor people, I would explain to them exactly how I did what I did. A lot of folks would say, I want to be like you. But you need to realize that you’re not like me, you're different, you're YOU. So you have to find your own path.” Known as a “mentor to mentors”, Dr. Robert Soiffer teaches us how to best utilize mentors to carve our own path, how JOY in medicine lies in the JOurneY not necessarily the outcomes, and the ephemeral nature of success, which is why “you can’t enjoy the successes too much or wallow in the failures too much because they’re going to flip around.”
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. We have to remember history in order to define the present and improve the future. The greatest memory tool is talking to the patient, asking the patient, and letting that serve as the way we remember their story.
2. Don’t connect failure or success to the end result; focus on improving the journey and finding joy in that process.
3. You don’t have to be a mentor’s shadow; talk about your path and vision with them to gain insight on how you can achieve that. 4. Have fun everyday and never miss a meal. -
Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, FACP, is a Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, J. Terrence Lanni Chair in Cancer Research, Section Head of GI Oncology and Co-Director of the Colorectal Center at the University of Southern California. He also serves as the Deputy Director for Research at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Lenz is a physician-scientist known for his work on the pharmacogenomics of GI cancers. He is a member of several professional societies, including the AACR & AGA and serves on the National Advisory Board of a number of professional organizations. Dr. Lenz is the Co-Chair of the GI Committee and Correlative Science Committee for SWOG. He has published over 450 peer reviewed manuscripts. He has been listed in the Best Doctors’ database since 2003.
“You need to be very resilient and always dream big. Don't limit yourself with boundaries.” Why is resilience so important for a physician? Early in his career, Dr. Lenz was told that he cannot make it as a researcher by his superior; the only response Dr. Lenz had was, "I will show you." Looking ahead a few years, Dr. Lenz is now a highly renowned researcher and clinician with many accolades to his name. Join us on another episode of Medicine Mentors where we discuss core values a physician must exhibit, the success factor of effective mentors, and what it means to be an influential physician-leader with Dr. Heinz-Josef Lenz.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Learn to be open-minded. Always be relentless and resilient in your pursuits. Explore different diversities with the right mindset and maximize your potential.
2. A successful mentor can instill a sense of accountability in their mentees, making sure they know that great things are expected of them.
3. A leader’s job is to maximize the existing potential of the group and eliminate the gaps and weak links by recognizing talent and assigning appropriate roles. -
Grace Makari-Judson, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at UMass Chan Medical School, Baystate. She is also the Co-Director of The Rays of Hope Center for Breast Cancer Research, and Chair of the Baystate Health Breast Network and Baystate Regional Cancer Program. She is known as an educator, speaking at forums for both medical and lay audiences and also serves as the Principal Investigator of the Breast Research Registry to provide opportunities for translational research and of numerous clinical trials to enhance care.
“You always have to take advantage of relationships, even if you don’t necessarily know who those people are that you’re collaborating with. You just have to be open to it.” Joined by her own mentee, Dr. Prarthana Bhardwaj who rose to that very challenge, we sat down with Dr. Grace Makari Judson in a discussion on mentorship, taking chances, and staying enthusiastic. Tune in as we dive into the details of mentorship from both sides, gain insight into the specific pitfalls of bad mentoring relationships, and why it’s important to learn from your surroundings and take chances when they’re afforded.
Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Stay open to new opportunities because your path is ever-changing and we can gain so much from learning around us and exploring different experiences. But be sure to instill a foundation of excellence so when that time comes you’re ready.
2. A great mentor is somebody who’s invested in your growth. They can be sponsors, teachers, or advocates. But be sure to find one that can set an agenda, meet with you frequently, and share beneficial opportunities with you.
3. A great mentee is one who shares enthusiasm about the work and jumps on opportunities presented to them. 4. As physicians, we need to be aware of our own personal biases when caring for patients by reminding ourselves that we’re there to empower them. Rather than relating to their issues, empathize and find out what’s best for them. - Visa fler
