Podcast Summary
Considering quality of life and dignity in medical decisions: Neurosurgeon Dr. Sherry Duane emphasizes the importance of considering quality of life and dignity in medical decisions, especially as we age. She shares her coping mechanisms, including mindfulness practices and manifesting, and encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives and question their purpose.
Importance of considering quality of life and dignity in medical decisions, especially as we age. Neurosurgeon Dr. Sherry Duane, the guest on the Doctor's Kitchen podcast, emphasizes this perspective from her personal and professional experiences. She also shares her coping mechanisms, which include mindfulness practices and manifesting, challenging the stereotype of neurosurgeons as emotionally detached. The conversation inspires listeners to reflect on their own lives and question their purpose. Dr. Duane's book, "Cutting a Path," offers a candid look into her journey as a neurosurgeon and offers valuable insights. The podcast episode also touches on child bereavement, so there's a trigger warning and resources in the show notes.
Living a Purposeful Life: Examine what brings happiness, love, and passion to identify purpose, commit fully, and embrace change
Identifying and living a life with purpose is essential for personal growth and fulfillment, regardless of age or circumstances. Purpose can evolve throughout one's life, and discovering what drives and motivates us is crucial for finding joy and meaning in our daily experiences. To identify one's purpose, it's essential to examine what brings us happiness, what we love, and what we're passionate about. Once we've identified our purpose, we should commit to it fully and embrace the dynamic nature of our lives, understanding that our purpose may change as we grow and face new challenges. By living a purposeful life, we can inspire and motivate others to do the same, ultimately making the world a better place.
Staying true to one's purpose: Dr. Sanjay Marwah's journey as a neurosurgeon, despite facing discrimination as a woman and minority, underscores the importance of staying committed to one's goals and persevering through adversity.
Finding and staying true to your purpose requires determination and resilience, even in the face of adversity. Dr. Sanjay Marwah, a neurosurgeon and US-born Indian American, shares how her fascination with the brain led her to the field, despite the challenges she faced as a woman and a minority. Her personal experience of seeing a neurosurgeon save her mother's life solidified her passion and commitment to the profession. Despite encountering discrimination, she remained focused on her goal and overcame obstacles to pursue her dream. This story highlights the importance of staying true to oneself and persevering through challenges, no matter what stage of life one is in.
Support system crucial for overcoming challenges in male-dominated fields: Having a strong support system helps individuals facing discrimination and isolation in male-dominated fields regain confidence and stay focused on their goals.
Facing challenges and setbacks, especially in male-dominated fields, can be disheartening, but having a strong support system is crucial for overcoming self-doubt and staying on the path to success. This was evident in the speaker's experience of facing discrimination in neurosurgery, where she was discouraged not only by outsiders but also by someone within the profession. However, her parents and husband helped her regain confidence and stay focused. Another challenge she faced was the stigma surrounding pregnancy during residency, which added to her feelings of isolation and lack of support. It's important to note that these issues are not unique to neurosurgery or medicine but are prevalent in various fields and cultures. Having a trusted network of advisors and advocates can help individuals navigate these challenges and stay committed to their goals.
Challenges for Women in Medicine During Pregnancy and Childbirth: Women in medicine face demanding physical and emotional challenges during pregnancy and childbirth, and can benefit from finding allies and sources of strength to navigate these hurdles. Despite progress, perception of pregnant women as less committed to their careers remains a barrier.
Pregnancy and childbirth present unique challenges for women in the medical field, both physically and psychologically. These challenges can be compounded by a lack of support from colleagues and institutions. The speaker's own experiences as a neurosurgery resident highlight the demanding physical requirements of the job and the emotional toll of feeling unsupported. However, she also emphasizes the importance of finding allies and sources of strength to help navigate these challenges. Her mother, a powerful influence in her life, instilled in her the discipline and determination that helped her succeed in her career and overcome adversity. Despite some progress, the speaker believes that change in this area of medicine is coming too slowly, and that the perception of pregnant women as less committed to their careers remains a significant barrier. Ultimately, she encourages women to never let anyone limit their potential or define their capabilities.
The impact of role models on determination, values, and discipline: Role models inspire us to pursue our dreams, instill strong values, and teach discipline through their actions and words.
Having a supportive and inspiring role model can significantly impact one's life, particularly in the areas of determination, values, and discipline. The speaker's mother instilled in her a love for education and a strong work ethic, but also taught her the importance of never backing down and staying focused on her goals, even when faced with adversity. The speaker's story, as shared in her biography, aims to inspire women and ethnic minorities to pursue their dreams, regardless of societal expectations. The consistent practice of meditation and yoga has been instrumental in the speaker's personal discipline and success in her career as a neurosurgeon. Overall, the speaker's message emphasizes the importance of having role models, setting goals, and maintaining a disciplined daily practice to achieve success.
Daily practices for staying centered: Incorporating meditation, yoga, healthy eating, and mindfulness into daily routine helps neurosurgeon stay calm and focused during emergencies, maintaining equilibrium in personal and professional life.
Maintaining a daily practice of meditation, yoga, healthy eating, and healthy living has been instrumental in helping Dr. Dewan remain centered and disciplined, even in the high-pressure environment of neurosurgery. Believing in the universe's benevolence and practicing mindfulness have helped her navigate the intense and unpredictable nature of her job, where emergencies can arise at any moment. By incorporating these practices into her routine, Dr. Dewan is able to stay calm and focused during critical situations and maintain equilibrium in both her personal and professional life.
Reflecting on traumatic experiences: Doctors, including neurosurgeons, must reflect on traumatic experiences to prevent burnout and improve overall well-being.
Doctors, including neurosurgeons, must learn to compartmentalize and process traumatic experiences in order to effectively treat patients and prevent burnout. During the moment of crisis, it's crucial to focus on the task at hand and remove oneself from the emotional turmoil. However, it's equally important to reflect on these experiences later on, unpinning the memories and examining their emotional impact. This practice of acknowledging and processing traumatic experiences can help prevent pushing down emotions and contribute to overall well-being. As a neurosurgeon, the author found it particularly challenging to deal with death and the sadness that came with it, but by reflecting on these experiences, she was able to better cope and continue providing care to her patients.
Balancing patient care and personal well-being: Healthcare professionals must have open and honest conversations with patients and families, prioritizing patient comfort and dignity while maintaining a balance between aggressive treatments and personal well-being.
Providing the best possible care for patients, including end-of-life care and having difficult conversations about quality of life, is crucial. This can be challenging as it's important to strike a balance between giving everything and maintaining personal well-being. Some healthcare systems prioritize aggressive treatments over patient comfort and dignity, while others focus too much on family wishes and forget the patient's wishes. Having open and honest conversations with patients and their families is essential, even if it's difficult. Ultimately, it's important to remember that we cannot take our patients' lives home with us and must maintain a balance in our personal and professional lives.
Practicing delayed gratification and compartmentalization for mental well-being: Delayed gratification and compartmentalization are crucial skills for mental well-being, allowing us to focus on long-term goals and maintain balance in the face of challenges.
Developing mental well-being involves practicing delayed gratification and compartmentalization, even in non-extreme situations. Delayed gratification means setting long-term goals and working towards them patiently, despite societal pressure for instant gratification. Compartmentalization means acknowledging and reflecting on challenging experiences later, rather than letting them consume your present moment. These skills, though essential in high-stress fields like medicine, are applicable to any stage of life or profession. By focusing on the incredible feeling of achieving long-term goals, one can find motivation and pride in their efforts. Additionally, recognizing that some experiences are temporary can help put things in perspective and maintain mental balance.
Setting clear goals in personal, professional, and family life: Write down annual goals in personal, professional, and family categories, refer back to them throughout the year, and consider incorporating mindfulness practices for better focus and overall well-being.
Setting clear, actionable goals is an essential part of personal and professional growth. The speaker, who is a goal-oriented individual, divides her objectives into personal, professional, and family categories, and writes them down annually. She emphasizes the importance of turning visions into actions, and refers back to her goals throughout the year to ensure progress. The speaker also highlights the growing trend of mindfulness practices, such as meditation and mindful moments, in the medical community, which can contribute to better focus and overall well-being. Despite being in a traditional field like neurosurgery, she feels that there is a shift towards a more balanced and multifaceted approach to life and work among the new generation of medical professionals.
AI and robotics transforming medicine: AI identifies conditions, patients take charge of health, holistic approach, medically tailored meals, and AI improves patient care and outcomes
Technology, particularly AI and robotics, will play an increasingly important role in medicine over the next decade. Doctors are already using AI to identify conditions like depression and suicide risk, and patients are taking more agency over their health through programs focused on nutrition and weight loss. The use of medically tailored meals and food as medicine is becoming more common, especially in the US where metabolic illnesses are prevalent. While surgery will still be an option for those who need it, a holistic approach that includes healthy lifestyle choices will be the preferred method for many doctors. As for the role of AI in medicine, it's still uncertain whether it will eventually replace doctors and surgeons, but it's clear that it will be a valuable tool in improving patient care and outcomes.
The Importance of Human Touch in Medicine: Despite advancements in robotics and AI, human connection and involvement remain crucial in medicine. Encourage children to explore various careers and foster their interests, while recognizing the potential rewards of a medical career.
While robots and AI are making significant strides in the medical field, there will always be a need for human touch and involvement. The speaker, who uses robotics in her practice, acknowledges the benefits of technology but also emphasizes the importance of human connection and capacity. When it comes to children's career choices, the speaker believes that medicine can be a rewarding career with proper understanding and support, but encourages exploration of various fields as the job market continues to evolve. The speaker also highlights the importance of fostering children's interests and instilling a sense of balance and multifaceted abilities. Overall, the speaker sees the future of medicine as an exciting time of change and growth, but one that still requires the human touch.
Embracing Multifaceted Roles: A Neurosurgeon's Journey: Despite societal norms, do what feels right and be vulnerable to make a difference in various ways. Embrace multifaceted roles and inspire others through personal experiences.
Life is unpredictable and full of possibilities. Dr. Sheree Dawan, a neurosurgeon, author, and mother of three, shared her journey of embracing multifaceted roles and inspiring others through her writing. Her story highlights the importance of doing what feels right and being vulnerable, regardless of societal norms. This conversation around her book serves as a reminder that we all have the potential to make a difference in various ways. Additionally, the episode featured sponsors Whole Foods Market and Boll and Branch, offering special deals for Mother's Day and high-quality organic cotton sheets, respectively.
