Q: You’ve talked about access to data. How do you access the technology? How often? What about it works best for you? Is it something you wish older docs used more?
A: There is so much information … that is constantly being generated [that] it makes it almost impossible to stay up to date on everything. Rather than even attempt to memorize every single treatment, I make an effort to know where to look for standard of care treatment regimens (e.g. ACCP [American College of Chest Physicians] anticoagulation guidelines, IDSA [Infectious Diseases Society of America] guidelines, ACC/AHA [American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association] peri-operative guidelines). I use technology daily, probably looking up something on at least half of the patients I’m taking care of [on] a given day.
Q: What is your biggest professional challenge?
A: Being able to say no.
Q: What is your biggest professional reward?
A: Students and residents that I’ve worked with who choose a career in HM.
Q: What aspect of patient care is most rewarding?
A: Seeing a patient get well enough to be discharged home or to a lower level of care.
Q: What’s the best advice you ever received?
A: Say yes to anyone asking for help in managing a patient.
Q: What’s the worst advice you ever received?
A: Say yes to every job opportunity.
Q: Did you have a mentor during training or early career? If so, who was the mentor and what were the most important lessons you learned from him/her?
A: My division chief, although he probably didn’t know it. He was firm and had a clear direction for the division/program; however, he was very affable and had a delicate touch when dealing with the other physicians.
Richard Quinn is a freelance writer in New Jersey.