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Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
Practice Perfect Editor
Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Podiatric Medicine,
Surgery & Biomechanics
College of Podiatric Medicine
Western University of
Health Sciences,
St, Pomona, CA |
Those Around Us
We at Western University recently had a farewell lunch for one of the members of our support staff, who was moving away. This party started me thinking about those with whom we work. I’ve been at many different “locations”, with three different jobs now as a podiatric physician (2 private practice locations, 1 wound care center, 1 multispecialty practice/hospital, and now the Western University College of Podiatric Medicine). At each location, I’ve been privileged to work with a wide variety of people with different attitudes, aptitudes, and personalities.
It seems that as time goes by, and with each new job, I gain a larger team of people to work with. At my first practice, we had four employees, while my second position in Oregon included about 200 people. Finally, my current position is with a University of more than 2000 people and several thousand more students. Of course, I don’t know everyone, but it’s safe to say my circle of contacts grows daily. I’ve found this to be a very satisfying part of the job. Each person I meet has a new story, a new set of skills and experiences, and something new to teach me.
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I wonder – do we appreciate those around us enough? It’s very easy to get caught up in the daily grind, the emergencies, and the conflicts. I remember as a resident, observing various attendings on different services – especially those in the most stressful arenas such as the OR – actively engaging in dehumanizing and disrespectful behaviors. I’m not sure what twisted satisfaction they received from this behavior, and luckily it was relatively rare. In practice, I’ve seen much less overt disrespect and more of the quiet behind-the-back kind of belittling. We’re all guilty of this at some point or other, even though in the long run, it’s as damaging to a team as the overt kind.
On the other hand, since I’ve been at my current position, I’ve seen individuals who bend over backwards to help those around them. Whether it’s chipping in to finish a job, working extra to help the team, or stepping outside the box to mentor those below them, these folks are the epitome of what it is to be a leader. I try daily to be 1/10th the person they are.
With these thoughts in mind, I’d ask everyone to take a moment and think about those people you spend time with during the various incarnations of your life, whether it’s teacher, mentor, employer, coworker, husband, wife, parent, or partner. Consider for a moment all of the strange and interesting individuals that surround you. You might even want to take a few moments to tell them how important they really are to you.
Keep writing in with your thoughts and comments. Better yet, post them in our eTalk forum. Best wishes.
Jarrod Shapiro, DPM
PRESENT Practice Perfect Editor
[email protected]
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