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Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

Jeff welcomes to the podcast, hip & knee arthroplasty surgeon, Dr. Peter Gold.

Out of all surgical subspecialties, orthopedic surgeons have the highest rate of suicide. Rates of burnout and depression are similarly bad among orthopedic surgeons. Too often, we get caught up in these numbers and can’t see the forest for the trees.

The qualities required to become a great surgeon set us up for both success and failure. In general, we have stressful jobs; we’re perfectionists; and we have bad self-care habits. Additionally, we like quick fixes. But taking care of yourself is not a quick fix.

What steps does Peter suggest we do to practice better self-care as surgeons?

• Step 1 - Forget the numbers. It’s easy to get wrapped up in statistics surrounding burnout, depression, and suicide. We need to look past these numbers and accept that these issues impact surgeons.
• Step 2 - Recognize the effects. Once you accept the fact that burnout and depression are prevalent in our profession, the next step is to start recognizing their effects. Start to notice when these things impact you and how.
• Step 3 - Return to your source of joy. Think about the things that bring you joy in life. Maybe you love playing golf or cooking food for your family. Whatever your source of joy, return to it when you’re feeling stressed out.

Most importantly, PRACTICE self care for improved well-being!

SurgeonMasters is a physician peer community dedicated to improving the personal and professional well-being of physicians.

Join your colleagues online at SurgeonMasters.com for events, resources, and more.

PRACTICE Your Best!

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Jeff welcomes to the podcast Bradley Block, otolaryngologist and host of the podcast, the Physician’s Guide to Doctoring.

Brad started his podcast because he was looking for resources to help him communicate better with his patients. He covers a variety of topics that are geared towards assisting physicians to be the best version of themselves in and out of the exam room.

In any doctor-patient encounter, both parties want the same thing: to move in the direction of better health. To make this happen during the encounter, there’s what the physician needs and what the patient wants. The physician needs to acquire the information to arrive at a diagnosis, and the patient wants to be heard.

How can we accomplish both?

What steps does Brad suggest we take to meet the needs of the doctor and the patient more effectively and efficiently?

• Step 1 - Look the patient in the eye long enough to note the color of their eyes. Often when we enter the exam room, we are reviewing notes or charts and may not proactively address the patient. This only takes a few extra seconds, but goes a long way to making the patient feel seen.
• Step 2 - Notice something about the patient. This can be something as trivial as what the patient is wearing, or asking if they have any upcoming plans. This makes it obvious that you are recognizing the patient as more than just the sum of their symptoms.
• Step 3 - Ask the patient what worries them about their symptoms. This is called asking the question behind the question. It’s one thing to ask a patient about their symptoms, but asking them what worries them about those symptoms takes things to another level.

Most importantly, practice improving patient interactions!

SurgeonMasters is a physician peer community dedicated to improving the personal and professional well-being of physicians.

Join your colleagues online at SurgeonMasters.com for events, resources, and more.

PRACTICE Your Best!

Send us a Text Message.

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

Jeff welcomes to the podcast hip and knee arthroplasty surgeon, patient and peer advocate, Dr. Peter Gold.

Physicians can gain valuable insights by seeing things from the patient's perspective. Dr. Gold tragically gained this perspective in 2015 when he was shot in the stomach while trying to stop a robbery. Thankfully, he made a full recovery and is now thriving as a practicing surgeon. Experiencing trauma surgery as a patient was an eye-opening experience for him.

Physicians have a lot to manage in patient care, but there are times when we should slow down to recognize that patients might be scared, worried, or nervous, and often don't know what's going on. Knowing that probability can help us become better physicians and connect more easily with patients.

Slow down. Pause.

If you ensure your patient understands what you're saying, you will likely assuage their fears. That’s when we should display confidence and impart knowledge as physicians.

What steps does Peter suggest we take to see things from a patient’s perspective?

• Step 1 - Remember that patients are likely scared, stressed, or experiencing other negative emotions. This might be just another Tuesday for you, but for your patient, this is a new or difficult experience.
• Step 2 - Slow down. Taking a moment to slow yourself down when talking to a patient can make a huge difference. It shows that you care about their situation.
• Step 3 - Convey and boost confidence by imparting knowledge. Tell your patient what you know, what you don’t know, and what you’re going to do about their situation. Knowledge breeds confidence in both the patient and the physician.

Most importantly, practice having a patient’s perspective!

Guest BIO

Peter Gold, MD is a hip and knee arthroplasty surgeon at Panorama Orthopedic & Spine Center in Denver Colorado. He completed his residency at Northwell Health’s Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a joints fellowship at The Rothman Orthopedic Institute. He is active in AAHKS as the secretary of the Young Arthroplasty Group and a previous health policy fellow. He also runs a nonprofit organization in New Orleans, Strong City, which aims to support the future of underserved youth.

SurgeonMasters is a physician peer community dedicated to improving the personal and professional well-being of physicians.

Join your colleagues online at SurgeonMasters.com for events, resources, and more.

PRACTICE Your Best!