We sat around the dinner table and talked, and talked, and talked. People came and went. Still we talked and discussed and shared. I’ve always been suspicious of speakers who claim to ignite conversations that last into the night yet these past few evenings have proven to be filled with conversation centered around the ideas shared during the day. I cannot stop thinking about patient safety and neither, it appears, can my fellow students.

What has  impacted me most today has actually not been the topics discussed. While I whole-heartedly enjoyed and learned from John Nance’s talk and took so much practical knowledge away from the informed consent/shared medical decision discussion, what really hit me was everyone’s PASSION for keeping patients safe and free from harm. Yes, I realize that right now we are all flying high on the energy and cheerleading that comes from being around like-minded people… Continue reading →

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” -Gandhi

These past few years, I have really challenged myself to live by this quote whenever I am tempted to complain about the state of something-or-other. In general, this makes me either: 1)restrain my complaints/judgments/opinions if I’m not willing to do something about it; or 2) work toward a solution. Is it fool-proof? Absolutely not – I still complain about things I will never lift a finger to fix  (more often than I’d like to admit.) But today was the first time I have been faced with a problem I care deeply about, would not hesitate to complain loudly about, and yet when I asked myself “how can I be this change?” I had absolutely no idea. Not only did I feel helpless, but every idea that entered my head was instantly followed by “you would never be allowed… Continue reading →