The Life of A Physician

Missing birthdays, and missing some holidays

This is what physicians do in service to their patients: they study.

The ACGME estimates that the total of all medical knowledge is now doubling approximately every 2-3 years. Physicians have an enormous responsibility to keep up with that pace of information.

Medical school is 4y of intensive, bone-bending study that comes after we've already completed a 4Y undergraduate degree. After medical school, we head into additional training in residency. The nomenclature for each year of residency is labeled PGY (post-graduate year). PGY1 is an internship and so forth. Many primary care physicians (like me) work their way through to PGY3 or 4. Surgeons and subspecialty physicians may end up as PGY6 or 10 or more(!) by the time they’ve completed residency and fellowship(s).

Believe it or not, that’s the easy part.

It is easier when the structure and discipline are provided FOR you. In medical school and residency, the work is clearly laid out and the knowledge and skills acquisition clearly defined: Here’s what you must do and know in order to graduate, to progress years, to pass your boards, to obtain your license.

The hard part? Turning that into the lifelong discipline you see reflected in this photo.

At a time when a lot of questions are swirling about physicians, I thought I’d offer this tiny, intimate glimpse into my physician-spouse.

He’s not doing this for a test. He’s not doing this under pressure. He does this – consistently and quietly – for his patients.

This is what becoming – always becoming – a physician is about. This is what discipline looks like. This is what a healer looks like. This is what the oath compels. This is what the calling means.

This is what it looks like to put your patients, first.