Today, I came home after a long day of attending and listening to lectures given by oncologists as part of the preparation for my fellowship exam in oncology. I will not write about the presented scientific materials, but I will write about the last speaker who concluded today's lectures with his speech.
The last speaker was Dr. Francis Worden, a Professor of Oncology at the University of Michigan, USA. His speech was different! We are used to hearing introductions about speakers with their credentials, but he introduced himself differently.
Although he could have said that I work as a professor of oncology at a university considered one of the most prestigious universities from which people like the founder of Google, Larry Page, graduated. Or he could have said that he is a chapter author in one of the most famous books in oncology (ASCO-SEP), or he could have said he is a panel member in the NCCN guidelines for head & neck cancers or something like that.
Strangely enough, he started his speech by sharing with us his experience in not passing the recertification exam! He showed the audience his results when he could not pass and how he re-tested and didn't pass again! "I even considered filing a lawsuit against the board!" he continued laughing. But his wife discouraged him from doing so because she was sure that he would lose the lawsuit! He shared with the audience how he passed this examination with a slightly higher score than the required passing score for this exam! The topic of his speech was how to pass this examination, which in his view, is relatively complicated!
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What do we learn from this story?
Trainees (including myself, of course!) need to understand these experts are simply human beings; they may sometimes fail in passing exams! The notion some trainees may carry about experts that they are extraordinary human beings is not always accurate.
The moment you think their achievements are extraordinary or above human capability is the exact moment when you agree to give up thriving to be a better physician; it is the first step towards burnout!
I have always said to my co-fellows: do not compare your fresh beginnings with the mature ends of others. Do not compare seeds that you want to plant with other people's fruits. The biggest injustice you can do to yourself is to treat yourself as if it is not yourself! You are a unique person; there may be someone better than you, but no one is similar to you!
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Few tips for trainees
1- Do not let the amount of information in our specialty discourage you. Remember that every expert who has met you (or you will meet) does not memorize everything written. On the contrary, a safe physician is not the one who remembers the most! A safe physician knows how to search and critically appraise the literature to use it to deliver the best care for our patients.
2- Don't let any failure justify giving up on your dreams! Remember that most people give up when they are close to success! I always tell my colleagues: we only fail when we stop trying, and as long as we keep trying, we will be fine!
3- Flexibility is strength. Use challenges and failures as tools to help you succeed and move forward in this discipline. Adjust course but keep the destination unchanged!
4- Be attentive to your daily routine; success results from a productive routine. The most successful are those who adopt good habits. Be alert and correct your daily habits, and you will be surprised that the results will automatically change.
We only fail when we stop trying!
Finally, I would like to conclude with what Dr. Francis concluded when he shared a quote for Winston Churchill: "Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."
Written by:
Hematology Oncology Fellow
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
Posted: August 29, 2021