Q & A with Charles Pizanis, MD, FHM, associate professor and co-director of the University of New Mexico’s hospitalist training track, division of hospital medicine, department of internal medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, N.M.

Dr. Pizanis said The Hospitalist has been an important resource for him during his career, so it was a no-brainer for him to join the editorial board. The publication provides a blend of practice-changing knowledge, insights into what other hospitalists are working on, and ideas for personal and system growth.

I most enjoy training future hospitalists and leaders within my academic roles. It is amazing to see learners develop into colleagues (and on some occasions my bosses)! Additionally, working directly with patients has been really rewarding.

Q: Why did you choose a career in hospital medicine?

Hospital medicine was appealing to me for the breadth of conditions we treat and the opportunity it provided to help patients and families during some of life’s most critical moments.

Q: What’s been your biggest success?

My biggest success was serving as the section chief for our hospital medicine group during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many hospital medicine groups, our operations were completely upended and a lot of time and effort went into formulating updated staffing, processes, and treatments to address this. Serving my group during this time was a high honor.

Q: What challenges have you overcome?

Burnout is a real thing and you could say I hit an administrative wall through COVID-19. I had to refocus my career path a bit and feel like I’ve grown a lot over these past few years in my ability to put work in its right place within my inner world.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?

I most enjoy training future hospitalists and leaders within my academic roles. It is amazing to see learners develop into colleagues (and on some occasions my bosses)! Additionally, working directly with patients has been really rewarding.

Q: Why did you join SHM?

I was fortunate that my boss provided memberships to all of us in our group. And after attending my first national conference in 2015, I never looked back!

Q: Why did you become an editorial board member?

The Hospitalist has been a really important resource for me during my career—it provides such a great blend of practice-changing knowledge, insights into what other hospitalists are working on, and ideas for personal and system growth. The opportunity to become an editorial board member to support its mission was a no-brainer for me!

Q: What’s the first page you turn to when you get your copy of The Hospitalist?

In the Lit! The reviews are outstanding, focused, and highly relevant to practice.

Q: What topics would you like to see more of in The Hospitalist?

I’d like to see more on academic medicine – how can academic hospitalists grow their careers, and how to collaborate—particularly across institutions. Also, I think increasing the focus on innovative care models and processes across the country would be awesome. We all have very similar problems and there is so much we can learn from each other.

Q: What’s your best piece of advice for new hospitalists?

Know thyself! Our specialty has so much to offer and the opportunities to develop are abundant that it can be easy to get lost in one’s career progression. Be true to yourself, identify what is most important to you in your life, and let that be your guide as you advance your career.

Q: What’s something someone would be surprised to know about you?

I have twin daughters—Eleni and Vassi—who are eight years old and so much fun 😊

Q: What do you wish the world knew about hospitalists?

Hospitalists are consummate clinicians—they’re able to manage so many conditions, types of people, and scenarios.

Q: How do you stay motivated during stressful days?

To stay motivated, I work out regularly and spend as much time outdoors, with family (and sans electronics) as I can.

Dr. Pizanis is an associate professor and co-director of the University of New Mexico’s hospitalist training track, division of hospital medicine, department of internal medicine, at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque, N.M. He earned his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, and completed his residency at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.