{"id":5576,"date":"2017-06-23T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2017-06-23T11:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/?p=5576"},"modified":"2017-06-20T19:00:50","modified_gmt":"2017-06-20T23:00:50","slug":"thoughts-to-em-graduates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/blog\/goldfranks-corner\/thoughts-to-em-graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts to EM Graduates 2017 &#8211; Lewis Goldfrank, MD"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>June marks graduation for thousands of medical residents around the country. This is a special time for residents and educators alike as it marks a major transition point. It&#8217;s a good time to reflect on who we are, what we do and, where we are going. Every year, Dr. Lewis Goldfrank gives an address to the residents, their families and the staff of the NYU\/Bellevue Emergency Departments. It is as much a moment of reflection as a call to action. Below are his thoughts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Lewis R. Goldfrank, MD<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>(June 19, 2017)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Opening Thoughts<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">You are the antidote to a world in disarray, dysfunction and dystopia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">For those of us who work with a guarantee to reject no one\u2014it is unsettling to see a philosophy of rejection become a governmental credo.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When people tell you that cutting hundreds of billions of dollars out of health care is good, you know there is a disconnect with reality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When one of America\u2019s greatest agencies the CDC will be cut 17% you know that something is wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When someone tells you that the Environmental Protection Agency is unnecessary you know that something is wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When children are shamed in school for not having enough money to pay for lunch you know that something is wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When library fines are so great that children who cannot afford to be without books have no access, you know that something is wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When you are yelled at by a patient because of the color of your skin, the accent in your voice, your gender\u2014in short who you are, you know that something is wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When religions are defamed, when women\u2019s rights are neglected, when people of color are left out and abused, when the LGBTQ community is assaulted you know that something is wrong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Our values in public services are under siege.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">What We Have Done<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">We have worked together for years trying to create an environment where all were served to the best of our ability.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">We have tried to learn more about our similarities and our differences.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">We have tried to understand the ways in which some of us have had an easier time than others.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">The Way Things Were<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When I was a medical student it was easy to understand what white privilege meant\u2014you went through the door that said white not the colored <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">But it was clear that there was much more to discrimination in medicine of that era than the signs on doors in my institution\u2014there the cruel sequelae<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>of racism, misogyny and fear of otherness underscored<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>the fact that only<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>white men were accepted at<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>the school. Other men need not apply.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">There were the permissible number of women in my class\u201410%\u2014there were almost no women faculty.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">There were no students of Asian descent in my class and I remember no Asian faculty. <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">The first American Black student was in my class\u2014the first African student entered in the previous year\u2014you cannot imagine the racism they endured.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">The Struggles We All Face<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">The times truly have changed but you and<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>I must find our own paths to confronting these issues. <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">You cannot expect your faculty and societal leaders to be your faithful guides in solving these problems.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Your Experiences at Bellevue<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">You have had a unique and privileged experience here, much like the environment at the United Nations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Here the heterogeneity of cultures, languages and nationalities of both the staff and patients is remarkable.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">The homogeneity of our patients must be viewed through the lens of poverty, a status imposed by society.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">It is these similarities in our patients and staff that assure me of the possibility that the children of these patients will look just like us in the future.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">The Call to Action<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Some of these children, when they come of age, might work in our hospitals as staff or, like you, graduate into the profession, and if that happens, it will only be through your efforts as advocates. That is why you must: <\/span>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">speak up, <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">act up, <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">have the courage to intervene, <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">recognize unacceptable behavior, <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">understand that you are voices for change, <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">and, most of all, you must lead<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When you do these things, your staff, your peers, and your students will be sure that you are committed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Your approach to medical education and patient care will be different. <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Your professionalism, ethics and tolerance will be formed by the culture of inclusion, of caring for all in need, of being active in the presence of injustice and of being leaders in the causes that protect those with the least in our society.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p3\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Final Thoughts<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">We have tried to prepare you with comprehensive knowledge and skills that allow you to accept uncertainty as inevitable\u2014in so<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span>doing we believe you are well prepared to approach problems that are not yet defined and to solve problems that will make the world a better place.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Throughout your professional lives, you will be challenged to protect, cherish and enrich the values you have learned to love.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Your dedication to your daily interactions with your patients and the privilege of intimacy that you have with them will be a source of strength and renewal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">We have the utmost confidence in your skills, commitment, ethics and humanism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">When you bring these values to each engagement with patients you will bring hope to them and their communities and particularly their youth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Your integrity and energy will be agents of change that will address the failures of our leaders, improve health care and maintain the societal commitment to equal care for all.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li3\"><span class=\"s1\">Your approach to medical care will be an example of what is possible.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">It has been a great\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"s1\">pleasure to work with you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Congratulations.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>June marks graduation for thousands of medical residents around the country. This is a special time for residents and educators alike as it marks a major transition point. It&#8217;s a good time to reflect on who we are, what we do and, where we are going. Every year, Dr. Lewis Goldfrank gives an address to the residents,<br \/><a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/coreem.net\/blog\/goldfranks-corner\/thoughts-to-em-graduates\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":1445,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coreem.net\/content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/lewis-r-goldfrank.jpg?fit=420%2C420&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5576"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5576"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5578,"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5576\/revisions\/5578"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coreem.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}