Student Loans and Upward Mobility
Student loans are overall a good thing. They have made the news a lot lately, and generally they get a negative spin. There is a push to forgive student loans and make debt more manageable for people. There are certainly unscrupulous lenders with terms that will maintain a person in debt for many decades. Work is needed to make sure loan terms are properly disclosed to young inexperienced student and to curtail aggressive loan practices.
Unforgettable Moments
There are instances in a person’s life that are unforgettable. Moments of clarity or focus that stand out like beacons in our memories. I gained several of these unforgettable moments as a patient over the past 18 months. At the age of 43 I discovered a large 26 cm mass in my abdomen. The initial imaging showed it was likely a sarcoma. Reading the CT report while I was working an ER shift was a crushing moment filled with doubt and disbelief and worry. I felt peace that things would be OK, but I did not know what the future would hold.
Only You Can Prevent Burnout
Years ago I went on a medical service trip to Ecuador. I led the trip and I had maintained cell phone service in order to coordinate logistics of the trip. I had arranged to have another physician in my community cover my service while I was out of town. I was surprised that even after making these arrangements and being remote villages high in the mountains of Ecuador I continued to receive daily phone calls and messages about my patients day and night.
