A promise to love

As I take the leap off the cliff into my family medicine residency at UNM, now adorned with letters behind my name, I think about how important it is to stay grounded in the principles of love, caring, generosity, and justice.

How will I, in those sleep-deprived moments/minutes/months be the physician I would want caring for my family, my loved ones...or for myself?

When comments are made about patients and their families, how will I steer clear of denegrating and de-humanizing their foibles?

How will I adhere to principles of health as a human right amidst a system that denies coverage and care to so many?

I thought I would start to answer these questions by a simple act of proactivism, declaring what I stand for, and not waiting for things to happen so that I can declare what I am against.
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I am a human - I will make mistakes, and I will humbly accept these mistakes, trying to learn from each and every one so that I can be a better healer in the future

I also believe in my humanity in the sense that I will not be afraid to feel, to cry, to laugh, to suffer with, to empathize, to experience life, death, sickness, healing, and health with my patients and colleagues.

I will take time to recognize the gift that each and every patient I see has given me, and will honor this gift through the highest moral and ethical standards by which I will conduct myself.

I believe in, and will use, the healing power of laughter, prayer, clown noses, farting, etc. etc.

I will maintain my PharmFree stance, taking no gifts from industry that would fracture the sacred trust held between my patients and me.

I will take time to let others around me know that their work is special, and that they are special.

I do believe that it takes everyone to create a place in which healing takes place - accordingly, I will never let the letter behind my name trick me into thinking that I am any better, higher, smarter, or more gifted than those around me; instead, I will seek to see the wonderful ways in which all of us work for the good of the patients who come to UNM.

I most certainly believe that health and health care is a human right, and will do all in my power to work for changes in the system to move us closer to that reality. On a personal level, I vow never to turn a person away because of their ability to pay.

I will love my work, my profession, my patients...I will love life, staying spiritually grounded in the gift of each new day.

I will honor my body, mind and spirit through this process - staying physically fit, keeping a connection to Creator through prayer and mindfulness, and rejuvinating the soul through hikes into the mountains, bike rides by the river, and lots of adventures.

I will honor the family that supports me, making my wife and baby first priority when I am away from the hospital. I will not let work become an excuse for not being there for them, nor will I let distance be an excuse to lose touch with my family in MD, CO, AZ, etc.

Amen.