“You don’t survive in my line of work unless you learn how to tune in one situation and tune out another quickly, as the need requires. I’m not sure this is a good way to be but it’s in my bones, who I am.”
Brendan Reilly, One Doctor (New York: Atria, 2013), p. 67
He was taking care of very sick patients at one of the busiest hospitals in America. While rounding with his team of residents and medical students, he received a call from his parent’s home. They were both very sick, very old, and miles away. With stoic temperance, Dr. Reilly was able to make a quick plan about what to do, he was able to “tune in one situation and tune out another quickly” in order to focus his mind in taking care of his sick patients. Although probably he got emotionally affected, he did not get hijacked by the thoughts of the possible death of his parents. He was able to change his thinking of what if, to a more practical and constructive thinking of, I need to do this now (taking care of the sick). He knew that they were being taken care of in a hospital by other doctors, and that he couldn’t be there right now.
When we take care of patients, we must be focused. It is sometimes easy to get distracted by trivial things like our phones, social media, or unimportant gossip. Other times we get distracted by more important things like in Dr. Reilly’s parent’s illness example. Emotions like fear, anxiety and anger sometimes take over and we lose control. The physician needs to be stoic here, we need to keep our composure, we need to switch back our minds to our immediate and more important tasks. How to be focused is something that you must learn how to do first and then practice it every day, specially in our profession. It takes time to master this skill, practice it every day with trivial things. Erase your social media or use it only when you are not at work, make eye contact with your patients and your team, one task at a time if you could. Discipline yourself and eliminate the desire to get a like on social media. Try to be aware. If you don’t learn this, when you have a personal and real problem (and you will for sure), you won’t be able to keep your calm and focus on your responsibilities. Practice the art of self-discipline in everything you do. Most young doctors are addicted to their cell phones. How they will be able to listen and be present when you are their patient? Would you feel comfortable with a doctor that doesn’t give you full attention and eye contact?.
“Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern, and be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours. Epictetus
