Careers

President's Message

February 21, 2024

The President's message is written personally by the President each month and all opinions expressed within are his/her individual opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Academy, it’s affiliates, or it’s employees.

 

Eric Stader, MD

Pearls From A Country Doctor

As I sat down to write my last President’s Message for this season, I reflected on what an honor and a privilege it has been to serve in this role for the past year.  I’ve interacted with some truly gifted individuals who are serving mankind with their lives.  I think of Dr. Jim Deline, a humble man who devoted much of his career to the Plain communities in the scenic hills of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area.  I’ve known him for years and was able to attend a celebration in his honor and present him with the WAFP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.  I think of Dr. Steve Furr from Alabama, who joined us at our Student and Resident Leadership Forum, as well as our 75th Anniversary celebration, last August.  The current AAFP President is an unassuming physician who cares greatly for his patients and for his colleagues.  At the same celebration, I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Richard Shropshire, whose wit and wisdom permeated our dialogue despite his 95 years.  If I correctly recall his introduction, he was the WAFP President in 1973, the same year I was born.  He is one of the only physicians who remembers practicing medicine before the introduction of Medicare.  Then I think of Dr. Robert Stader, my uncle, who has been caring for patients here in Grant County for over 45 years.  An old-fashioned family physician who does just about everything, he was a mentor to me during my early years in practice.  I’d be remiss not to mention Larry Pheifer, who has mentored and coached so many physician leaders over the years as the Executive Director of WAFP.  We celebrated his 25 years in that role recently, and I have found him to be a worthy sparring partner for puns and jokes.
 
I deliberated about what to include in this message.  Mentoring is a passion for me, and there is seldom a month that goes by that does not include a resident, medical student, or PA student learning with me and our group at High Point.  With that in mind, I made a list of what I will call “pearls from a country doctor.”  Each of these are things that I have said to patients in front of learners, or to learners in the room with patients, or to others in conversation.  They are neither rigorously supported by research, nor do they contain citations.  However, they have been subjected to the test of time, the analysis of common sense, or practical application.  In no particular order, and an incomplete list, to be sure:
 
It takes time.  You don’t build a relationship in one office visit.  I recently had a medical student with me who didn’t understand how I could know the patients as well as I did, address so many concerns in one visit, or convince a particular patient to do something that he didn’t necessarily want to do.  I explained to him that the relationship and trust and rapport that exist with a patient do not happen in one visit.  Rather, it’s a cumulative interaction.  Respect is thus earned and trust increases.
 
Tell a story.  Most ancient cultures passed on their most important lessons via what is known as oral tradition.  Jesus spoke in parables.  We can impart more wisdom by telling a relevant story, sometimes even a personal one.  Anecdotes, testimonies, mistakes, and even regrets should be thoughtfully shared.
 
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.  We’ve all seen variations on this idea.  A local realtor has a signature line on her email that reads, “if you don’t have time to do it right, you definitely don’t have time to do it over.”  My c-section closure may not be the fastest, but it is done excellently every time.
 
Speak the truth.  We inhabit a culture where we are expected to speak and believe things that are just not true.  Orwell and other authors predicted times like this.  Although it is often unpopular, there are a few things better for our soul than living in truth.
 
Read a book.  Whether it is a good book, The Good Book, a classic tale, or a biography, give it a try.  A healthy imagination, a more robust vocabulary, increased empathy, or greater faith may result.
 
Go for a walk.  Allow your senses to fully experience the world in which you live.  It’s invigorating to experience majestic mountains, a quiet stream, or the sound of the breeze in the trees.
 
It’s not about you.  Ours is a profession of service.  That means putting others’ needs and concerns ahead of our own.  It is seldom convenient, but often rewarding.  It is always worth doing.
 
The empathic toll is real.  We are well compensated for our efforts, but it’s not just about the money.  Most people will never understand the burden that we carry.  We walk through some of the most joyful moments in the lives of others, as well as through some of the most sorrowful.  In the past two weeks, I’ve diagnosed three patients with significant cancers.  One with malignant melanoma, another with an aggressive non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma, and the third with metastatic cancer throughout the torso with an undetermined primary.  Each one of them is between 50 and 65 and none is a stranger to me.
 
Say “I don’t know”  frequently.  We are always learning, and the internet is replete with more information than we can retain; the patients don’t come to us for our encyclopedic knowledge.  Rather, they need us for what they cannot find on Google: empathy, personal interaction, human touch.
 
Unplug.  Whether that means taking a sabbath from social media, putting your device out of reach long enough to make eye contact and converse with a real person sitting next to you, or just having a few minutes to meditate, it is worth it.  We also need to model this for others and teach it to our children.  Significantly increased anxiety, depression, aggression, bullying, and a host of social contagions all seem to coincide with the permeation of devices and social media in our culture.
 
Do the hardest thing first.  Often, there’s something that needs to be said or done and thinking about it fills us with dread or causes dyspepsia.  That’s the thing that needs to be done first.
 
You can’t do it alone.  When people ask me how I can have the type of practice that I do or how I am able to do as much as I am, I answer that without a team of colleagues and a trusted supporting cast it would not be possible.   Moreover, it’s good to have one or two trusted “battle buddies“ with whom we can share our burdens, struggles, and challenges.  Equally important is being that sort of person to someone else.
 
Live each day as though it is your last.  Just before Christmas, as I was walking out to the front desk with a spry 97-year-old lady to help her with the door, she asked me if she should schedule her Medicare wellness visit for next year.  My answer: “Of course.”  She and I both smiled because we’ve talked about this many times.  Plan for next year, live for today, and savor each moment that we are given.
 
As you think about these “pearls,” I hope that a few of them resonate with your own experiences or situations.  If you have stories or illustrations, would you mind sharing them with me? I would appreciate that very much.
 
Please join me in congratulating Beth Menzel, MD, the next president of WAFP.  I have found her to be a true colleague, a committed educator, and a principled advocate for family physicians of all backgrounds. I look forward to working closely with her this year, and in the years ahead.
 
Once again, it has been my privilege to serve as your WAFP President in 2023, and I welcome your comments and dialogue by email at president@wafp.org. 

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