Mohammed Zalabani, MD, FHM, had just stepped away from a directorship role and was looking for less leadership responsibility and more time with “my kids and my family and my house and my wife.”
Dr. Zalabani
But leaders lead, and when he was asked by a former president of SHM’s Nebraska chapter to get involved, what do you think happened? He joined in a lesser board seat and quickly took the reins.
“From there on, it was a fun experience,” said Dr. Zalabani, a hospitalist at CHI Creighton Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, Neb. “I enjoyed being a part of that team. I continued in that role for about three years. And then right around the end of 2023, I believe, the president asked if any of us were interested, and I voiced interest, so I became the president-elect starting this year.”
The Nebraska chapter won a Platinum Award in 2023, so it seems fair to say the effort is working. Part of Dr. Zalabani’s approach, in common with the chapter’s executive board, is to focus on more than just medicine.
“Our themes have been more life-themed events rather than core medical educational events, if that makes sense,” he said. “For instance, our first meeting was all about burnout, how to find a work-life balance, and how to find your inner self.
“For us to balance academia versus the social aspect, our next meeting is going to be … one for poster presentation. Someone gets to go to SHM Converge and submit their own abstract—that’s kind of the theme we keep trying to maintain. We’re not here to take away from your families, but we’re here to bring some fun into your work life.”
It works, as the focus on well-being “struck a lot of chords.”
“Everybody felt the value of the talk itself, and I think it was very powerful from that aspect,” Dr. Zalabani said. “Our attendance rate was very high. Everybody seemed to feel that this was, yes, they’re talking to me. That is what I can relate to. This is what I’m going through every day. Your voice is being heard.”
When he tries to sell the chapter to newcomers, Dr. Zalabani notes that he didn’t know what to expect when joining himself.
“Part of being a part of it was the dinners, the talks, the meeting new people, getting to see the different hospitalists within my community that I had no way of overlapping with,” he said. “That part was enjoyable. And I got to see people from my work outside of a work environment, and that was enjoyable. And then we got to go to different places and different restaurants and different events and different menus.
“The whole experience, to me, feels more like social than work, which is why I enjoyed it. It was almost a bridge from social life to work life. My goal from there was to keep that vibe going and keep that growing so it becomes more of a community rather than a job.”
Dr. Zalabani says being a statewide chapter can be its own challenge, as the group has to cover the largest centers—Omaha and Lincoln—while providing options for more rural hospitalists.
“There are hurdles you run into when you go into more rural areas where there isn’t as much contact because of the sheer number,” he said. “We try to include them. That’s why a lot of our meetings have a Zoom option, too. Virtual involvement is something else we try to do for our people who cannot physically be around.
“It’s certainly more challenging than the local providers to get involved and be engaged … but we have had some initiatives in order for us to do one of our next events somewhere more rural, or midway, to try to engage those people.”
Dr. Zalabani sees efficiency as the chapter’s future path.
“I’m trying to get it to the point where everything is streamlined. We just held a conference, like a pure ultrasound conference,” he said. “My goal is for us to find a way, in terms of also our leadership team, to each find their niche where the work is just natural because these are their skillsets.
“Say, for example, I need someone to be my venue planner. I don’t even need to tell them. I’m like, hey, our next meeting is X date, so I know that person is in charge of venue and event planning. And I have another person who is responsible for the marketing and awareness and all that. That person can be that. Another could be the researcher of topics. So, my goal is to find a way for everything to be streamlined so it is as stress-free as possible.”
Then, maybe, Dr. Zalabani can step down from the chapter and let the next chapter president take over.
Maybe even relax?
“Until I find my next work to do,” he joked.
Richard Quinn is a freelance writer in New Jersey.