>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: GOOD
AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME TO
MEDICAL CENTER HOUR, THE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA'S
WEEKLY
PUBLIC
FORUM ON MEDICINE, HEALTHCARE,
AND SOCIETY. I'M MARCIA DAY
CHILDRESS FROM THE CENTER FOR
HEALTH
HUMANITIES AND ETHICS IN THE
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. THANK YOU
SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS
WEDNESDAY -- DO COME BACK NEXT
WEEK TOO.
THE SLIDES BEFORE AND AFTER
THIS
PROGRAM PROVIDE RESOURCES,
INFORMATION ABOUT CONTINUING
EDUCATION CREDIT FOR
HEALTHCARE
PROFESSIONALS, A LINK TO OUR
CENTER'S WEBSITE FOR
INFORMATION
ABOUT
TODAY'S PRESENTER AND HIS
BOOKS,
AND A LINK TO MEDICAL CENTER
HOUR'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL WITH
PROGRAM RECORDINGS. THIS
PROGRAM'S CLOSED-CAPTIONED
RECORDING WILL BE POSTED TO
YOUTUBE.
ON ZOOM, WE HANDLE AUDIENCE
CONTRIBUTIONS USING THE Q&A
FUNCTION. WRITE YOUR
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS THERE.
WE'LL MONITOR QUESTIONS AS
THEY'RE SUBMITTED, AND WE'LL
MAKE THEM THE STUFF OF MY
CONVERSATION WITH OUR SPEAKER
IN
THE CLOSING MINUTES OF THE
HOUR.
TODAY'S MEDICAL CENTER HOUR IS
OUR THIRD EDWARD W. HOOK
MEMORIAL LECTURE IN MEDICINE
AND THE ARTS.
THIS LECTURE REMEMBERS UVA'S
LATE CHAIR OF INTERNAL
MEDICIN -HE WAS CHIEF OF
MEDICINE FOR 21 YEAR -AND
FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE
SCHOOL
OF MEDICINE'S PROGRAM OF
HUMANITIES IN MEDICINE, NOW
PART
OF THE CENTER FOR HEALTH
HUMANITIES AND ETHICS. AN
INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN
INFECTIOUS
DISEASE SPECIALIST AND A
MASTER
AND PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN
COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, DR.
HOOK
ALSO HAD A LIFELONG LOVE
AFFAIR
WITH THE ARTS.
THIS WASN'T JUST AN AFTER
HOURS HOBBY.
HE UNDERSTOOD WELL HOW THE
LITERARY, VISUAL, DRAMATIC,
AND
MUSICAL ARTS CAN TUTOR
DOCTORS,
HELPING THEM TO PRACTICE
AND REFINE THEIR CLINICAL
SKILLS
OF ATTENTION, INTERPRETATION,
CURIOSITY, COMMUNICATION,
COMPASSION, OPENNESS TO THE
OTHER, AND TOLERANCE OF
AMBIGUITY AND UNCERTAINTY.
MADE
POSSIBLE THROUGH FUNDS DR.
HOOK
SET ASIDE DECADES AGO TO
PURCHASE ART, THE HOOK LECTURE
IN MEDICINE AND THE
ARTS ENABLES US NOW, EACH
YEAR,
TO INTRODUCE INTO MEDICAL
EDUCATION AND TRAINING A
PRACTICING ARTIST WHOSE WORK
ENACTS AND ENLIVENS THE
MEDICINE/ART CONNECTION.
OUR HOOK LECTURER TODAY IS THE
PHYSICIAN WRITER SAMUEL SHEM,
WHO IN 1978 PUBLISHED
THE ICONIC SATIRIC NOVEL, THE
HOUSE OF GOD.
WRITTEN DURING SHEM'S
RESIDENCY,
THE LOOSELY AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
NOVEL WITH ITS MEMORABLE CAST
OF
CHARACTER -HIS FELLOW
INTERN -PROVED AN EXPO É OF
MEDICINE'S OFTEN HEARTLESS AND
UNJUST TRAINING CULTURE OF THE
TIME.
THE BOOK WAS UNOFFICIAL
REQUIRED
READING FOR RECENT GENERATIONS
OF AMERICAN DOCTORS AND
INFLUENCED SOME REFORMS.
AUTHOR SHEM, KNOWN BY HIS PEN
NAME, WENT ON TO BECOME THE
PSYCHIATRIST STEPHEN
BERGMAN, BUT HE ALSO WENT ON
WRITING AND PUBLISHING.
LAST YEAR, SHEM PUBLISHED
MAN'S
4TH BEST HOSPITAL.
THIS SEQUEL TO 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD'
TAKES THE MEASURE OF OUR
CURRENT
CORPORATIZED HEALTHCARE
ENTERPRISE, SHEM USING HIS
SIGNATURE BITING HUMOR TO
EXPOSE
OUR SYSTEMS' FAULT LINES AND
THEIR HUMAN COSTS, INCLUDING
CLINICIAN BURNOUT AND THREATS
TO
PATIENT SAFETY.
BUT THIS NOVEL DOES SOMETHING
MOR -IT HOPES.
TO RESIST INJUSTICE, IT OFFERS
TANGIBLE HOPE AND PROMISE IN
HUMAN CONNECTION, AND,
IMPORTANTLY, IN COLLECTIVE
ACTION.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE
SAMUEL SHEM.
HE LAST SPOKE AT UVA MORE THAN
30 YEARS AGO, NOT LONG AFTER
THE
HOUSE OF GOD.
WE WELCOME HIM BACK NOW, TO
TELL
US, AGAIN THROUGH THE
ART OF FICTION, ABOUT STAYING
HUMAN IN MEDICIN -THE DANGER
OF
ISOLATION AND THE POWER OF
CONNECTION.
MY THANKS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
MEDICINE FOR PARTNERING WITH
US
ON THIS LECTURE AND TO THE
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE'S ANDERSON
LECTURE FUND FOR GENEROUS
SUPPORT.
AND NOW, SAMUEL SHEM, WELCOME.
>>SAMUEL SHEM: THANK YOU SO
MUCH, MARCIA, IT'S WONDERFUL
TO BE BACK HERE, EVEN AFTER SO
MANY YEARS. IT'S SUCH A GOOD
TIME. LAST TIME, AND I THINK
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD
TIME THIS TIME. THE TITLE OF
THE TALK IS SOMETHING THAT I
HAVE ALWAYS USED RIGHT FROM
THE VERY START, WHEN I TALKED
'THE HOUSE OF GOD', THE
STAYING HUMAN IN MEDICINE, THE
DANGER OF ISOLATION AND THE
HEALING POWER OF GOOD
CONNECTION, THE HEALING POWER
OF GOOD CONNECTION.
AND I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YOU
KNOW, GOOD CONNECTION, IS
MUTUAL CONNECTION, THERE'S NOT
MUTUAL, IT'S NOT THAT GOOD.
THINK ABOUT IT. AND I'D LIKE
TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE --
WE THINK WE'RE IN CONTROL OF
OUR LIVES AND LIKE WE'RE
KNOWING WHAT CHOICES WE'RE
MAKING, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING,
BUT WHAT I HAVE FOUND OUT AT
THIS AGE IS, YOU KNOW, YOU
NEVER KNOW ABOUT THESE UNSEEN
FORCES THAT ARE DRIVING YOU
ALONG, UNTIL, MANY YEARS
LATER, AND ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I'VE COME TO REALIZE AND
MARCIA MENTIONED IT, THANK
YOU, IS THAT I -- WHAT GETS ME
GOING TO WRITE A NOVEL IS WHAT
I CALL HEY, WAIT A SECOND,
MOMENT, AND WE ALWAYS HAVE
THEM EVERY DAY, LITTLE ONES,
BIG ONES, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU
SAY, WALK PAST SOMEBODY WHO
WANTS A DOLLAR AND YOU WALK ON
AND YOU DON'T GIVE THEM A
DOLLAR, WAIT A SECOND, HE
DIDN'T LOOK SO BAD, OR HE
DIDN'T LOOK SO BAD, WHY DIDN'T
I GIVE THEM SOMETHING? WELL,
WHEN WE GOT INTO 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD', THE BETH ISRAEL HOSPITAL
IN 1978, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE
IT, WE WERE IDEALISTIC AND
THEN THIS ALL OF THIS STUFF
HAPPENED THAT WAS OUTRAGEOUS.
AND SEXY, AND ANGRY, AND ALL
OF THAT STUFF. AND WE WERE ON
OUR KNEES. AS I DESCRIBED,
IT'S VERY TRUE. RIGHT. AND
WHAT I -- A LITTLE VOICE IN MY
HEAD SAID, HEY, WAIT A SECOND.
THIS IS SO BAD, SOMEBODY HAS
GOT TO WRITE ABOUT THIS AND I
GUESS IT'S GOT TO BE ME.
AND SO, IT'S BEEN IN VARIOUS
THINGS WRITTEN ABOUT ME P BUT
I REALIZED I'M A WRITER WHO
WRITES IN RESISTANCE TO
INJUSTICE. AND THEN WHAT I
THINK WE SHOULD DO ABOUT
INJUSTICE, I'LL GET TO THAT,
TOO, WITH 'THE HOUSE OF GOD',
AND THEN, I'M DELIGHTED TO BE
ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE SEQUEL
TO 'THE HOUSE OF GOD' AND THEN
I'LL END WITH JUST A COUPLE OF
PAGES OF THE BRAND NEW NOVEL,
I'VE NEVER READ IT BEFORE, SO
THAT MIGHT BE A THRILL FOR
YOU, OR YOU MAY WANT TO THROW
TOMATOES AT YOUR SCREEN, I
DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S SET IN
THE COVID TIME. AND IT BRINGS
BACK NOT ONLY PEOPLE IN A BOOK
OF MINE CALLED THE SPIRIT OF
THE HOUSE, SORRY -- THE SPIRIT
OF THE PLACE, BUT ALSO SOME OF
THE CHARACTERS FROM 'THE HOUSE
OF GOD'.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT
WE'RE IN CONTROL AND WE KNOW
KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING
THROUGH OUR LIFE, BUT IT'S --
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST AS CHANCY
AS THE FLICKER OF A
BUTTERFLY'S WING ONE WAY OR
THE OTHER.
AND I HAD JUST THE MOST
RIDICULOUS WAY OF GETTING INTO
WRITING NOVELS. YOU NEVER
KNOW THE FORCES THAT ARE
REALLY ACTING UPON YOU. AND
THAT'S WHAT GOT ME TO HOUSE OF
GOD, VERY BRIEFLY, I WAS AT
OXFORD ON A RHODES
SCHOLARSHIP, AND WHEN I WAS
DONE, I GOT A NOTICE FROM MY
BOARD TO GO TO VIETNAM. AND I
THOUGHT, HUH, THIS IS NOT SO
GOOD. AND I SAID, DO I WANT
TO GO, I HAD A CHOICE THAT WAS
BETWEEN HARVARD MED AND
VIETNAM, AND I SAID RATHER
THAN GET KILLED, I'M GOING TO
SAVE PEOPLE, I WENT TO MEDICAL
SCHOOL TO GET A MEAL TICKET
THAT I COULD -- MAKE MY WAY
WITH AND GET A WRITER THAT
WAY. AND LOW AND BEHOLD, THAT
KIND OF ALL WORKED OUT,
BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING
TO WRITE UNTIL I GOT TO
MEDICAL SCHOOL AND THEN, BOOM,
RIGHT AFTER GOING THROUGH THE
INTERNSHIP, THERE IT WAS. AND
AS I SAID, SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO
WRITE THIS. I GUESS IT IS UP
TO ME.
THE -- 'THE HOUSE OF GOD' WAS
REALLY, REALLY -- REALLY,
REALLY NOT LIKED BY THE
ORTHODOX DOCTORS AND PEOPLE IN
THE POSITIONS OF POWER. AND
AFTER A WHILE, IT KIND OF
CALMED DOWN, BUT I REMEMBER A
FEW YEARS AGO NOW THAT I WAS
AT A POTLUCK SUPPER FOR OUR
DAUGHTER'S PRIMARY SCHOOL.
AND I'M WALKING AROUND, SORT
OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO
TALK TO AND I SEE THESE TWO
WOMEN SITTING IN THE CORNER
AND I LISTEN AND I SAID, OH,
THEY'RE DOCTORS, THAT'S
INTEREST, SO I GET A LITTLE
CLOSER AND THEY SAY, DOCTORS
AT THE BETH ISRAEL HOSPITAL,
MY ALMA MATER. MAYBE I HAVE
SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT. SO I
GET UP THERE AND I WAIT AND
HAVE AN OPENING AND I SAY, YOU
KNOW, I MAY NOT BE THE MOST
FAVORITE DOCTOR AT THE BETH
ISRAEL HOSPITAL. AND ONE OF
THEM LOOK AT ME. AND SHE
SAID, WELL, YOU CAN'T BE AS
BAD AS THAT GUY THAT WROTE
THAT BOOK. AND THERE WAS THIS
SILENCE. AND I WAITED, DO I
OR DON'T I? WELL, I AM THE
GUY THAT WROTE TO BOOK. AND
SHE BLUSHED BEET RED AND THAT
WAS THE LAST PLAY DATE OUR
DAUGHTER HAD WITH THEIR
DAUGHTER. 'THE HOUSE OF GOD'
HAD THE WORST START THAT ANY
NOVEL COULD HAVE HAD. THERE
WERE NO REVIEWS. ALL OF THE
BOOKS GOT -- IT STARTED TO
SELL BY WORD OF MOUTH AND THEN
ALL OF THE BOOKS GOT DESTROYED
BY A FLOOD IN THE WAREHOUSE.
BUT JUST BEFORE -- JUST BEFORE
IT WAS PUBLISHED I WAS CALLED
DOWN TO THE PUBLISHER'S OFFICE
TO TALK TO THE LAWYER. NOT
GOOD. TALKING TO A LAWYER
ABOUT YOUR BOOK. SO I GET
DOWN THERE. AND THE LAWYER --
THE EDITOR SAID, WE JUST WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO
IDENTIFIABLE CHARACTER IN THIS
BOOK. AND I SAY TO MYSELF,
OH, MY GOD, WHO ISN'T? YOU
KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU'RE
SUPPOSED TO DISGUISE PEOPLE, I
HAD NEVER WRITTEN ANYTHING
BEFORE. SO I SAID, I'LL GIVE
THEM ONE, YEAH, WELL, THE
CHIEF OF MEDICINE IS VERY
IDENTIFIABLE. WELL, HOW IS HE
IDENTIFIABLE? WELL, HE'S A
KIDNEY GUY, AND HE WALKS DOWN
THE CORRIDORS WHISTLING AND
WITH HIS STETHOSCOPE STUFFED
INTO HIS CROTCH. AND THE GUY
SAID, OH, THAT LOOKS -- YOU
KNOW, PRETTY BAD. THEY HAVE A
CONFERENCE. AND THEN THEY
TURN TO ME AND THEY SAY, WELL,
DOES HE HAVE A BIG BIRTH MARK
ON HIS CHEEK? AND I SAID, NO,
HE DOESN'T. THEY SAID, NOW HE
DOES. DID YOU LOOK IN YOUR
BOOK? YOU'LL SEE HE'S -- THE
ONLY TIME IT'S MENTIONED, HE
HAS A BIG RED BIRTH MARK ON
HIS CHEEK. SO THAT I CANNOT
BE SUED.
SO THE -- 'THE HOUSE OF GOD'
HAD A MISERABLE START. BUT IT
WAS JUST BY WORD OF MOUTH, IT
WENT LIKE FIRE, YOU KNOW,
THROUGH THE PEOPLE OF MY AGE
THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, THE
OTHER THING, IF ANY OF YOU
WANT TO WRITE ABOUT THIS
STUFF, THAT IS SO DIFFICULT,
AND ABUSIVE, I REALIZED THAT
IT WAS SO AWFUL, WHAT WE HAD
BEEN THROUGH, THAT THE ONLY
WAY THAT PEOPLE WOULD READ IT
WAS IT HAD TO RIDE ON HUMOR.
HAD TO RIDE ON HUMOR. AND SO,
THAT'S AS YOU NOTICE, THAT'S
WHAT HAPPENS FOR A LONG TIME,
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK,
AND THEN IT GETS DARKER AND
DARKER AND DARKER. BUT I
BELIEVE IN REDEMPTION. AND SO
IT COMES UP AT THE END.
THERE'S HOPE AT THE END.
RIGHT.
IT ACTUALLY CAME FROM -- IT
STARTED FROM JUST A
CATHARSIS, I GOT THE OTHER
INTERNS WHO WERE STILL AROUND
BOSTON TOGETHER AND WE USED TO
GET TOGETHER AND DRINK AND
TALK AND REALLY PROCESS THE
WHOLE THING. SO I'LL READ
JUST ONE SHORT PIECE THAT
SHOWS -- THIS IS THE TRUE
THING THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF
THAT HUMOR.
THE RUNT WHO'S AN INTERN, PUT
A PILL ON HIS HAMBURGER AND
MUNCHED IT DOWN, I ASKED WHAT
IT WAS, HE SAID VALIUM.
VITAMIN V, I'VE NEVER BEEN SO
NERVOUS IN MY LIFE. WELL,
DOES THE VALIUM HELP, I ASKED?
MAKES ME FEEL SLEEPY, I'M
WRITING ORDERS FOR IT FOR ALL
OF MY PATIENTS. YOU'RE
PUTTING THEM ON VALIUM, TOO?
WHY NOT, THEY'RE NERVOUS
HAVING ME AS THEIR DOCTOR.
THAT'S THE WAY WE GOT THROUGH,
THAT'S THE WAY WE GOT THROUGH.
AND I JUST -- AFTER SEVEN --
NOBODY WANTED TO PUBLISH IT,
FINALLY I GOT A CRAPPY
PUBLISHER AND AFTER SEVEN
REWRITING, IT WAS DONE, I WAS
HATED BY THE GUYS IN POWER AND
I WAS LOVED BY ANYONE ROUGHLY
MY AGE. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M
THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD,
IT SELLS MORE THAN EVER, IT'S
-- AND NOW, IT'S ACTUALLY
BEING RECOGNIZED AS A CLASSIC.
IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT WAYS,
VARIOUS DIFFERENT LISTS, SO
THAT'S -- THAT'S KIND OF NICE.
I TOOK A LOT OF CRAP.
THE OTHER THING TO ASK IS WHY
WAS IT SO TERRIBLE FOR US?
RIGHT. THE INTERNS. WELL,
THE BIG HIERARCHY, THE TOP
HAVE A POWER OVER ANOTHER
POWER OVER, OVER ANOTHER,
THESE ARE POWER OVER SYSTEMS.
AND IN THAT SYSTEM, THE
PRESSURE COMES DOWN ON THE
LOWEST PEOPLE, RIGHT. AND
WHAT HAPPENED IN 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD', LOOKING BACK, YOU KNOW,
DIDN'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS,
WAS THAT THE INTERNS GOT
ISOLATED, THERE'S THE WORD,
ISOLATED. THE DANGER OF
ISOLATION, RIGHT. THE INTERNS
GOT ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER.
EACH OF US GOT ISOLATED FROM
THE AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE OF
THE SYSTEM ITSELF. AND ALSO,
IN THOSE DAYS, AND THIS ISN'T
TRUE ANYMORE, REALLY, WE GOT
ISOLATED FROM OUR LOVED ONES.
AND WHAT'S THE GREATEST DANGER
FOR SUICIDE, DRUG ABUSE, ALL
OF THAT STUFF, ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN
DR. BURN OUT, I CALL IT ABUSE.
DR. ABUSE. IS WHAT IT IS.
AND SO, THAT'S -- THAT'S --
THAT WAS THE -- THOSE WERE THE
ISOLATIONS THAT IN FACT DROVE
PEOPLE TO SUICIDE AND TERRIBLE
ACTIONS. INCLUDING, YOU KNOW,
TREATING WOMEN VERY BADLY.
SO I WAS VERY SHY ABOUT THE
BOOK. WHEN IT CAME OUT. AND
FOR SOME REASON OR ANOTHER, I
SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO
PUBLICIZE MY BOOK. WE TRIED
TO GET TO ME PUBLICIZE IT, I
SAID, NO, YOU KNOW, I WAS SORT
OF, YOU KNOW, I WAS VERY, VERY
IDEALISTIC, I WAS GETTING ON
WITH MY LIFE. I DIDN'T REALLY
WANT TO WRITE NOVELS, I WANTED
TO WRITE PLAYS, ETCETERA. AND
SO I FOR TWO YEARS, FOR TWO
WHOLE -- AND, YOU KNOW, THERE
WAS NO INTERNET, AND NOBODY
HAD MY ADDRESS, PHONE,
BASICALLY. AND SO, FOR TWO
YEARS, I REFUSED ANY OFFERS I
HAD TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND
THEN, ONE DAY, YOU KNOW, THESE
ARE THESE GOD SEND THINGS, YOU
KNOW, WHERE THESE THINGS COME
FROM, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE
WHEN THEY COME THROUGH, YOU
HAVE TO BE READY, YOU KNOW.
BE READY. I GOT A LETTER
THROUGH MY PUBLISHER, AT MY
DOOR, IN BOSTON, AND IT SAID
I'M A DOCTOR ON CALL,
OVERNIGHT, IN A V.A. HOSPITAL
IN TULSA. AND IF IT WEREN'T
FOR YOUR BOOK, I'D KILL
MYSELF. AND IT JUST -- IT HIT
ME RIGHT IN THE SOLAR PLEXES,
RIGHT IN THE GUT. AND I SAID,
WELL, MAYBE PEOPLE WANT TO
HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY. AND
I STARTED. AND I SAID, I'M
TAKING EVERY REASONABLE
INVITATION. AND I'VE DONE
THAT THROUGH THE MATH EVER
SINCE, CAME OUT IN 78, 1980,
EVER SINCE 1980. I'VE BEEN
ON, YOU KNOW, THE SIX NON-ICED
OVER CONTINENTS. AND I COULD
NOT BE HAPPIER THAT THIS
ACTUALLY HAS BEEN SHOWN,
PEOPLE WRITE ABOUT IT, TO MAKE
THE INTERNSHIP BETTER. SO I
THINK IN TERMS OF TALKING
ABOUT RESISTANCE, I THINK THAT
LITTLE PIECE WORKED. AND YOU
CAN LOOK UP, IF YOU WANT, ONE
THING, THE ONLY THING I'VE
WRITTEN ABOUT 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD', ABOUT IS A PIECE CALLED
FICTION AS RESISTANCE, I THINK
IT'S IN THE ANNALS OF INTERNAL
MEDICINE, 2002, OR SOMETHING,
FICTION AS RESISTANCE, I'M A
PERSON WHO WRITES IN
RESISTANCE. AND THERE'S JUST
AN ESSAY THAT WAS IN A CHAPTER
OF AN OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
BOOK ABOUT HOW THAT VIEW OF
NOT JUST DESCRIBING, BUT
DESCRIBING WITH THE FEELING OF
IT CAN BE BETTER. AND THERE
AREN'T -- THE ONLY
DOCTOR/WRITER THAT HE POINTED
OUT WAS DOING THAT FOR BETTER
OR WORSE WAS ME. I JUST HAD
THIS ITCH THAT COMES FROM THE
60s, IN THE 60s, WE STUCK
TOGETHER. AND WE GOT WHAT WE
WANTED. WE STOPPED THE
VIETNAM WAR. AND WE GOT THE
VOTING RIGHTS ON THE BOOKS.
OKAY. SO I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT I MEANT FOR
CONNECTION.
HEALTHY CONNECTION,
CONNECTION IS HEALTHY, HEALTHY
CONNECTION.
THIS COMES FROM WORK THAT I
DID WITH MY -- IT'S VERY
APPLICABLE TO WHAT WE FACE AS
DOCTORS. YOU'LL SEE HOW.
THINK ABOUT BEING A DOCTOR AND
THEN IT'S YOU'RE ABOUT TO GO
TO LUNCH WITH A GOOD FRIEND OF
YOURS, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN FOR A
WHILE, AND AFTER THE LUNCH,
YOU HAVE TO DO A REALLY HARD
THING. OKAY? AND THIS IS
CALLED THE CONNECTION MODEL.
NOT SELF BUT CONNECTION.
CONNECTION COMES FIRST. SO
YOU'RE GOING TO THIS LUNCH.
YOU'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, WOUND UP
WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN
YOU GET BACK TO THE WARD. AND
IF IT'S A SUCCESSFUL
CONNECTION, FIVE GOOD THINGS
HAPPEN. EACH OF YOU OVER
LUNCH COMES OUT OF IT WITH
THESE FIVE GOOD THINGS. THE
FIRST ONE IS BOTH -- EACH OF
YOU, BOTH OF YOU COMING OUT
FEELING MORE ENERGY OR ZEST.
EACH OF YOU FEEL MORE
UNDERSTANDING OF THE OTHER AND
OF YOURSELVES. EACH OF YOU
FEELS THAT YOU VALUE THE OTHER
AND YOURSELF AND THE FINAL --
OH, AND THE FOURTH IS, POWER.
YOU FEEL EMPOWERED TO ACT.
BOTH OF YOU. YOU FEEL
EMPOWERED TO ACT. TO GO BACK
TO THE HOSPITAL AND DO WHAT
YOU CAN DO. CONNECTION IS
GOOD MEDICINE. IN ALL
DIFFERENT WAYS, WE CAN TALK
ABOUT IT. AND THEN THE FINAL
ONE IS, HEY, LET'S HAVE LUNCH
AGAIN. RIGHT?
SO WHAT HAPPENS? THERE'S
THIS KIND OF CLICK IN THAT
MEETING WHERE YOU FEEL SEEN,
YOU SEE THE OTHER, AND HE SEE
-- HE OR SEE SHE, EACH
FEELINGS THE OTHER FEEL SEEN.
POWER IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT,
ESPECIALLY NOW IN THIS
HORRIFIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY,
WHO I THINK IS GOING TO GET
BETTER. BUT POWER IS VERY
IMPORTANT. THE USUAL POWER
MODEL IS MALE AND IT'S HE IS A
POWERFUL PERSON. LIKE, THE
JERK KISSINGER, HE'S A
POWERFUL PERSON, IN HERE, WHAT
HE'S SAYING, THIS RELATIONAL
OR CONNECTION MODEL, IS THAT
NEITHER OF THESE PEOPLE FELT
POWERFUL WHEN THEY WALKED IN,
IT'S IN THE CONNECTING POWER
ARISES IN THE CONNECTING,
POWER ARISES. AND IF YOU LOOK
AT THE OPPOSITE OF ALL OF
THOSE QUALITIES, YOU KNOW,
POWER, UNDERSTANDING, VALUE,
THAT'S A DEFINITION, A
RELATIONAL DEFINITION OF
DEPRESSION.
THE MAJOR THING, MY WIFE
JANET AND SURRY AND I, THE
COWRITER ON A LOT OF STUFF,
WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A
RELATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, YOU
KNOW, NOT THAT THE MEASURE OF
THE PERSON'S PSYCHOLOGICAL
HEALTH AND GROWTH IS OF A
SELF, THE MEASURE IS THE
QUALITY OF OUR CONNECTIONS.
AND THAT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT
FOR MEN AS WOMEN.
SO LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER --
SO THERE ARE -- OUT OF THIS
COME TWO KIND OF NEW LAWS.
CONNECTION COMES FIRST. IF
YOU'RE CONNECTED WITH THE
PATIENT, YOU'LL HEAR
EVERYTHING, A NEW PATIENT.
YOU'LL HEAR EVERYTHING, IF
YOU'RE NOT CONNECTED TO THE
PATIENT, YOU'LL HEAR NOTHING.
THE SECOND IS, NOBODY GETS IT
RIGHT ALL THE TIME. THINK OF
YOUR LOVED ONES, EVEN, PEOPLE
YOU LOVE. YOU GET IT WRONG A
LOT, IT'S NOT JUST WHAT YOU DO
OR SAY. IT'S WHAT YOU DO OR
SAY NEXT. EVEN SAYING WE'RE
IN A DISCONNECT, IS A
CONNECTING PROCESS.
OKAY? AND I THINK THERE'S A
GOOD EXAMPLE FROM SURGERY,
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME STUDIES,
THE OLD TIME SURGEONS WOULD --
SOME COMING TO SEE THEM, HE IT
WOULD BE IN THAT CASE, ALMOST
ALWAYS, THE PATRIARCHAL
SURGEONS, I'VE DONE THE TEST,
I'M GOING TO OPERATE ON YOU.
THE PATIENT PROBABLY WILL SAY
YES. NOW, WE'RE UP TO I'VE
DONE THE TEST, BUT YOU CAN GET
A SECOND OPINION. WHAT'S
SPECIAL ABOUT THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS? THEY'RE I-YOU
RELATIONSHIP, THE REALM OF
LAWYERS, LAWYERS DO THIS,
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SO HAPPY.
THEY'RE ADVERSARIAL.
WHAT WOULD BE A BETTER WAY TO
ADDRESS YOUR PATIENT? NOT
JUST FOR SURGERY. RIGHT?
SURGEON MIGHT SAY, WELL, WE'VE
DONE THE TESTS, LET'S TALK
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GO.
WE DONE THE TEST, LET US TALK
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.
THERE'S THREE WAYS THERE, IF
YOU MENTION THE WE, YOU
CONCRETIZE THERE IS A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND
THE PATIENT. IT'S LIKE IT'S
SITTING THERE. RIGHT? THE
WE. WHICH INFORMS I AND YOU.
BETTER WE, BETTER I AND YOU,
RIGHT? AND THE STUDIES HAVE
SHOWN WHAT IS THE MAIN REASON
THAT SURGEONS GET SUED? THEY
FOUND OUT THAT IT'S THE
PATIENT SAYS -- I DIDN'T HAVE
A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. IF
YOU SET -- IF YOU TALK THE WE,
THE WE IS SITTING THERE
BETWEEN YOU THE NEXT TIME THE
PATIENT COMES IN. RIGHT? YOU
CAN TALK ABOUT THE QUALITIES
OF THE WE. OKAY. TRY IT.
TRY THE WE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU ALREADY
DO IT, GOOD DOCTORS DO THIS
ALL THE TIME.
OKAY. SO LET ME -- LET ME
MOVE ON FROM 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD'. IN THE SAME WAY THAT I
GOT REALLY LUCKY BY HAVING A
REALLY SHITTY INTERNSHIP, A
REALLY SHITTY AND ABUSIVE
INTERNSHIP THAT I HAD TO WRITE
'THE HOUSE OF GOD', WELL, I
ALWAYS WANTED TO WRITE A
SEQUEL. OF COURSE.
AND I WAS HAPPILY WRITING
OTHER BOOKS, I HAD -- I
SUGGEST YOU WRITE WHAT I FEEL
IS THE BEST BOOK I'VE WRITTEN,
THE SPIRIT OF THE PLACE. WON
TWO NATIONAL BEST NOVEL OF THE
YEAR AWARDS, IT DIDN'T SELL
BECAUSE IT'S NOT 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD'. BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE
PLACE IS ANOTHER ONE YOU MIGHT
WANT TO DO.
BUT I'M JUST GOING ALONG, MY
HAPPY WAY WRITING PLAY, BLAH,
BLAH, BLAH, EVERYTHING, AND
ONE DAY, OUT OF THE BLUE,
SEVEN YEARS AGO, I GET A CALL.
A GUY FROM NYU MEDICAL SCHOOL,
SAYS, HEY, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE
TOO BE A PROFESSOR AT NYU
MEDICAL SCHOOL? WHAT, WHY
WOULD I DO THAT? WHAT DO YOU
WANT ME TO DO? WELL, WE WANT
YOU TO TEACH. AND I SAID,
WELL, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO
TEACH? AND I SAID, WE WANT
YOU TO TEACH 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD'.
NOW, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND,
I WAS HATED FOR 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD' AT HARVARD. I WAS ON THE
FACULTY FOR 20 YEAR, THEY
HATED ME, THE OLDER ONES DID.
AND HERE'S SOMEONE BRINGING ME
IN TO TEACH 'THE HOUSE OF
GOD'. IN A HUMANITIES SEMINAR
IN THE HUMANITIES PROGRAM,
DAVID ORSHINSKI -- THE OTHER
TWO IN IT NOW. SO, YOU KNOW,
I'M KIND OF CURIOUS, I SAID,
OKAY. LET'S DO IT. AND AS I
SAY, ABOUT 7 YEARS, SOMETHING
LIKE THAT, I WENT DOWN TO NYU
AND IT'S THE SEMINAR IS SIX
SESSION, WE GO THROUGH THE
BOOK, IT'S AN HOUR AND A HALF
A SESSION. AND IN SEVEN
YEARS, I'VE NEVER EVEN SEEN A
STUDENT OR A DOCTOR GET UP AND
GO TO THE BATHROOM. THE THING
THAT'S SO SURPRISING TO ME IS
IT'S RELEVANT. EVERYTHING IS
DIFFERENT. BUT IT'S RELEVANT.
I MEAN, WHEN THEY GET TO POTS
OF SUICIDE I MEAN, WE TALK
SUICIDE STRAIGHT FOR AN HOUR
AND A HALF, AND MAYBE MORE.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT
HARVARD HATED ME FOR 'THE
HOUSE OF GOD', NYU LOVED ME
FOR 'THE HOUSE OF GOD' AND
THERE I WAS, AS HAPPY AS A
CLAM, WONDERFUL INSTITUTION.
AND WHY DID THEY ASK ME?
WELL, I FOUND OUT AT NYU, IT
WASN'T A VERY CARING 47,000
PERSON INSTITUTION, WHY? IT
COMES FROM THE TOP. THE TOP
THREE PEOPLE ARE REFUGEES FROM
'THE HOUSE OF GOD'. IMAGINE
THAT. THEY WERE THERE WHEN I
WAS THERE. YOU KNOW. THEY
WEREN'T GOING TO BE ABUSIVE
THE WAY THEY HAD BEEN ABUSED.
BUT HERE'S THIS CHANCY STUFF
THAT STARTS TO HAPPEN. I GET
DOWN THERE, AND I GO ON THE
FIRST TIME I'M ON THE WARDS
THERE, I'M LOOKING AROUND.
GOING ON ROUNDS WITH PEOPLE.
AND I SAY, HEY, WAIT A SECOND.
SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE.
SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO DEAL WITH
THIS. AND IT LED TO THE
SEQUEL, HENCE FORTH, IT'S NOT
BASED ON NYU, NYU IS TOO GOOD
TO WRITE ABOUT. AND WHAT I
SAW, IT'S WHAT ROY BASH, THE
SAME NARRATOR, ROY BASH SAYS
IN THE PROLOGUE TO THE BOOK,
MAN'S 4TH. HE SAYS, IT WAS A
TIME WHEN MEDICINE CAN GO ONE
OF EITHER OF TWO WAYS. EITHER
TOWARDS MORE HUMANITY OR
TOWARDS MONEY AND SCREENS.
WHICH MEANS MONEY AND MONEY.
WE KNOW BECAUSE THE MAIN
PURPOSE OF THE SCREENS ARE
CASH REGISTRARS, BASICALLY, OR
BILLING MACHINES, THE PUBLIC
DOESN'T KNOW THAT. BUT WE
KNOW IT. AND IT'S HELLISH FOR
DOCTORS, PATIENTS, ETCETERA,
AND THAT'S WHAT I GOT A HEY,
WAIT A SECOND, THIS IS UNJUST.
SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO WRITE
ABOUT THIS AND I GUESS THAT
SOMEBODY, MUA. SO FIVE YEARS
LATER, THERE'S A BOOK, CALLED
'MAN'S 4TH BEST HOSPITAL'.
LET ME JUST READ A COUPLE OF
THINGS. JUST WANT TO MAKE
SURE I'M ON TIME HERE.
OKAY. THIS BOOK -- THE STORY
OF THE BOOK IS THAT THE FAT
MAN -- THAT 'MAN'S 4TH BEST
HOSPITAL' USED TO BE MAN'S
BEST HOSPITAL, IT WENT DOWN
AND THEY'RE LOSING MONEY AND
LOSING PRESTIGE AND THEY NEED
TO GET SOMEBODY WHO HAS MONEY
AND PRESTIGE, AND THAT PERSON
IS THE FAT MAN. HE'S MADE IT
RICH IN SILICON VALLEY, OKAY?
AND SO, HE GETS HIS GUYS
TOGETHER AND THIS TIME, AN
EQUAL NUMBER OF WOMEN WHICH I
REMEDIED BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T
ANY EQUAL NUMBERS IN THOSE
DAYS. SO THIS IS THE FAT MAN
WITH HIS GROUP.
WHY AM I HERE? WHY ARE YOU?
ONE DAY I LOOKED AROUND AND I
ASKED MYSELF, SELF OF FATS,
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO FOR
MEDICINE? I ANSWERED. A LOT.
MEDICINE HAS GOTTEN LEAN AND
HUNGRY LOOK AND IT'S UP TO YOU
AND YOU'RE GUYS, FATS, TO
FATTEN IT UP, WHY WOULD I
RECRUIT? THE PEOPLE HE
RECRUITS ARE ROY BARRY, THE
RUNT AND CHUCK. OKAY. HE
WROTE IN CHALK ON THE CHALK
BOARD, TO PUT THE HUMAN BACK
IN HEALTHCARE. THAT'S -- THAT
WAS HIS GOAL, AND IT WAS MY
GOAL. AND I HAD TO FIND OUT,
ALL ABOUT HEALTHCARE, IN THE
UNITED STATES. AND HAVE HIM
HAVE THIS CLINIC, HE WANTS TO
START A -- A PUBLIC CLINIC
LEANING UP AGAINST THE
HOSPITAL TO SHOW HOW TO PUT
THE HUMAN BACK IN HEALTHCARE
AND THEN HE SAYS, WE DO IT
TOGETHER. THAT SUMS UP WHAT
WE ARE, HUMANE DOCS AND THIS,
PUT IT ON I A CHALK BOARD,
MONEY KILLS CARE, SCREENS MAKE
MONEY, SCREENS KILL CARE. SO
I CHOSE EACH OF YOU BECAUSE
YOU'VE STILL GOT THAT FIRE
INSIDE. IN THE HOUSE WE
RESISTED, BROUGHT THEM
SCREAMING TO THE WALL OF FIRE,
THAT IS TRUTH. AND HELD THEIR
EYES OPEN TO THE -- WITH RED
HOT TOOTHPICKS, MAKING THEM
SEE OUR AGONY, THE AGONY OF
ABSURDITY, RIGHT? WE NODDED
AROUND THE TABLE. I FELT THAT
FIRE AGAIN, SAW A FIRE IN
THOSE EYES, THAT HOPE. BUT
MAN SAID, CHUCK, WE DIDN'T
CHANGE NOTHING. I KNOW, FAT,
SAID, BUT FROM THE INHUMAN, WE
LEARNED ABOUT BEING HUMAN,
RIGHT, THE SEEDS WERE THERE,
REMEMBER MY SLOGAN, TO YOU
BACK THEN? NOBODY REMEMBERED
ANY SLOGAN. THANKS A LOT,
SHEESH. HE SEEMED TO DEFLATE
AND INFLATE AGAIN, KIND OF
SAYING WE HAD TO -- KEPT
SAYING WE HAD TO LEARN TO BE
WITH THE PATIENT, REMEMBER?
AND HE MENTIONED IT MOST OF US
NODDED. MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE
THEY'RE STILL PART OF LIFE.
PART OF SOME GRAND NUTTY
SCHEME INSTEAD OF ALONE WITH
THEIR DISEASES. EVEN YOUNG
BASH HERE, SAID ONCE, WHAT
THESE PATIENTS WANTED WAS WHAT
ANYONE WANTED, THE HAND IN
THEIR HAND, THE SENSE THAT
THEIR DOCTOR COULD CARE.
MAYBE EAT MY DUST EDDIE SAID
WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING AND
THEN WE SCATTER, TRUE, FAT
SAID, BECAUSE WE WILL HAD NO
POWER, WHEN THE POWER CAME
DOWN ON US FROM THE TOP, WE
GOT ISOLATED ALONE, STARTED
THINKING I'M CRAZY FOR
THINKING THIS IS CRAZY, BUT IN
ANY POWER OVER SYSTEM, BASED
ON RACE, GENDER, CLASS,
RELIGION, SEXUAL PREFERENCE,
THE ONLY THREAT TO THE
DOMINANT GROUP IS THE QUALITY
OF THE CONNECTIONS AMONG THE
SUBORDINATE GROUP, THAT'S US.
THIS TIME WE GOT LEVERAGE. I
GOT THEM OVER A BARREL, SIX
WAYS FROM SUNDAY, AND THEY
DON'T EVEN KNOW WHICH -- KNOW
ABOUT THREE OF THEM, AS LONG
AS WE STICK TOGETHER, WE HAVE
A CHANCE TO CREATE SOMETHING
THAT WILL SHINE. THE ONE
THING WE HAVE TO DO, STICK
TOGETHER, NO MATTER WHAT,
THAT'S THE MAIN NEW LAW.
ACTUALLY, THERE'S LAWS. WE'RE
GOING TO SHOW THEM HOW TO BE
GOOD DOCTORS.
OKAY. LET'S SEE. SO HE DOES
THAT. AND ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE BOOK
TO WRITE ABOUT, OF COURSE, I
MENTIONED, IT'S THE ELECTRONIC
MEDICAL RECORD. THAT WE'VE
GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT. I
MEAN, MY JOB IN WRITING THIS
WAS TO BRING THEM BACK AND TO
SHOW WHAT IT'S LIKE NOW. AND
TO SHOW NOT ONLY -- I HAD TO
UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE
HEALTHCARE. THE HEY, WAIT A
SECOND IS, ALL OF HEALTHCARE.
THE SYSTEM. NOT JUST AN
INTERNSHIP, IT'S DIFFERENT.
SO I READ AND I TALKED, I READ
AND I TALKED AND IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BOOK, THE FAT MAN GETS
UP AND GIVES HIS TALK ON THE
SIX RACQUETS OF AMERICAN
HEALTHCARE, FOLLOW THE MONEY.
AND HE DOES. AND THAT'S WHAT
-- AND THEN AT THE END OF THE
BOOK, HE GIVES A SOLUTION TO
WHAT WE SHOULD DO. SO THIS IS
-- THIS IS THEIR FIRST
ORIENTATION TO THE MEDICAL
RECORD, THE ELECTRONIC MEDICAL
RECORD, IT'S CALLED HEAL, AND
THEY'RE GETTING ORIENTED.
LET'S SEE. FOLKS, SAID THE
INSTRUCTOR, WE ARE AT WAR
AGAINST THE HEALTH INSURANCE
COMPANIES. THIS WAR LIKE ALL
WARS WAS ABOUT MONEY. ON OUR
SIDE OF THE SCREEN, WE'RE
FIGHTING FOR THE HIGHEST
PAYMENT FOR OUR WORK, ON THEIR
SIDE OF THE SCREEN, THEY ARE
FIGHTING FOR THE LOWEST
PAYMENT OF OUR WORK.
AND HOW DID WE FIGHT THE WAR?
BY GAMING HEAL CODES OF EACH
DISEASE, DIAGNOSIS AND
TREATMENT TO MAX OUT MONEY.
AND HE EXPLAINS HOW WE HAVE TO
CHARGE THE MOST. AND THEY
WILL TRY TO PAY THE LEAST.
SO HE SAYS, TAKE THE
DIAGNOSIS OF SEXIST, AFTER
SEPSIS, SEVERE. LIKE AT A
THAI RESTAURANT, A
LIFE-THREATENING BLOOD -- IT
IS A CASH COW THAT WINS HANDS
DOWN, IF YOU CLICK SEPSIS, YOU
CLICK SEVERE, THE CODE FOR
CASH. BUT THEN WHY? I ASKED
DO YOU HAVE BOXES FOR MILD AND
MEDIUM, CAMOUFLAGE FOR THIS
FATAL DISEASE, WE HAVE NO
CHOICE.
AND THEN HE SPOKE
PASSIONATELY ABOUT HOW TO
SQUEEZE THE MOST MONEY OUT OF
EAR WAX. EAR WAX IS AN
UNTAPPED POOL. RAMPANT IN OUR
SENIOR CITIZENS. THE MONEY IN
EAR WAX FLOWS BY CLICKING THIS
DIAGNOSIS IN ALMOST ALL
PATIENTS AND REMOVING AS MUCH
VOLUME AS YOU CAN, BOB SHOWED
HOW TO DO THIS ON HEALING.
YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO
CODES FOR EAR WAX REMOVAL.
40773, OR JUST TAKING A
SYRINGE AND WASHING IT DOWN,
AND 774, USING THE METAL
SCOOPER THINGY AND THERE'S A
BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE
PAYMENTS. GUESS WHICH
PROCEDURE FOR FULL EXTRACTION
AND MAX LIQUIDITY IS
PREFERABLE? BOTH, DO THE
RIGHT THING. THE RIGHT THING
FOR ALL OF US IN THE FAT MAN
CLINIC WAS TO WALK OUT. I WAS
WITH CHUCK AND NEITHER WALKING
DOWN THE HALLWAY, SO, CHUCK, I
SAID, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF
THAT IS? MAN, IT WENT IN ONE
EAR AND OUT THE OTHER.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING ABOUT
THAT.
NOW, I'M JUST CHECKING THE
TIME. YEAH. THIS IS WHAT WE
FACE TODAY. IN OUR DOCTOR'S
VISIT. RIGHT.
YOUR VISIT TO YOUR DOCTOR NOW
HAS BECOME SATIRE, YOU WALK
IN, LUCKY IF YOU GET EYE
CONTACT AND SIT ACROSS THE
DESK. YOUR DOCTOR IS TRAPPED.
PUNCHED BIND A COMPUTER
SCREEN, BACK OR SHOULDER TO
YOU, THE DOCTOR ASKS A
QUESTIONS, YOU ANSWER, THE
KEYBOARD GOES CLICK, CLICK,
FASTER AND FASTER, ON AND ON
IT GOES AND YOU FIND YOURSELF
IN THE PATIENT'S DILEMMA, DO I
KEEP TALKING OR WAIT FOR A
BREAK IN THE ACTION, USUALLY
THE NEXT QUESTION. DOES HE OR
SHE STILL LISTENING OR NOT?
THE NEW DEFINITION OF A GOOD
DOCTOR? ONE WHO CAN CONTORT
HIS OR HER BODY TO TOUCH TYPE
WHILE STILL MAKING EYE
CONTACT.
AS YOU KEEP WAIT, TWO
QUESTIONS MAY ENTER YOUR MIND.
WHAT IS IT, SHE OR HE IS
DOING? WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW IS
THAT YOUR DOCTOR IS SITTING
THERE IN FRONT OF THAT SCREEN,
SEETHING BECAUSE HE IS FORCED
TO SIT IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN
SEETHING INSTEAD OF WHAT HE
WANTS TO DO, TO TALK AND
LISTEN AND BE YOUR DOCTOR.
AND HE SPENDS 60% OF EVERY
WORK DAY, 6 HOURS IN FRONT OF
THAT SCREEN, MORE THAN WITH
PATIENTS. FAMILY DOCTORS
SPEND AN ADDITIONAL 3 HOURS AT
NIGHT AT HOME, DURING PAJAMA
TIME. THIS IS THE DOCTORS
DILEMMA.
WHY IS HE OR SHE DOING THIS?
YOU MIGHT THINK SHE'S DOING
THIS BECAUSE IT WILL BE BETTER
FOR YOUR HEALTHCARE. IT MAY
NOT. IT MAY BE WORSE. WORSE
FOR YOUR CARE, AND FOR SURE,
WORSE FOR THE CARE OF YOUR
DOCTOR. IT'S BETTER ONLY FOR
THE MONEY, THE HEALTHCARE
INDUSTRY. THE MACHINE WAS NOT
PRIMARILY DESIGNED FOR CARE,
BUT FOR BILLING, TO MAKE AS
MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE. WE
DOCTORS ARE CAUGHT IN THIS
MESS, WE'RE NOT TREATING THE
PATIENT, WE'RE TREATING THE
SCREEN. AND IT'S NOT THAT
YOUR DOCTOR WANTS TO TURN HIS
OR HER BACK ON YOU. IT'S THE
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY THAT HAS
TURNED ITS BACK ON BOTH OF
YOU. AND YOUR DOCTOR.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK
WHAT I SHOULD DO HERE.
LET ME -- LET ME JUST SORT OF
SUMMARIZE WHAT I THINK WE
REALLY, REALLY DO AS DOCTORS.
AND THAT IS, IT'S ABOUT
SUFFERING, WE DON'T REALLY USE
THE WORD SUFFERING TOO MUCH IN
DEALING WITH OUR PATIENTS.
ALL OF US WILL SUFFER, WE'LL
HAVE BIG SUFFERING, OR LITTLE
SUFFERING, IT'S NOT OPTIONAL.
THE ISSUE ISN'T THE SUFFERING,
IT'S HOW WE WALK THROUGH IT.
IF WE TRY TO WALK THROUGH IT
OURSELVES, STAND TALL, TOUGH
IT OUT, WE WILL SUFFER MORE
AND WE'LL SPREAD MORE
SUFFERING AROUND. BUT IF WE
WALK THROUGH SUFFERING WITH
OTHERS, WITH CARING OTHERS,
AND THAT'S WHERE WE DOCTORS
COME IN. THAT'S OUR JOB. WE
WILL NOT SUFFER AS MUCH AND WE
WILL NOT SPREAD MORE SUFFERING
AROUND. AND WE MAY COME OUT
OF IT DOCTOR AND PATIENT BOTH
REDEEMED. SO THINK OF
SUFFERING. THAT'S OUR JOB.
TO BE WITH. BE WITH. RIGHT?
CONNECT.
I'M GOING TO QUICKLY READ YOU
AS I PROMISED, SOMETHING ABOUT
THIS HALFWAY DONE -- REALLY
ANOTHER SEQUEL TO THE 'MAN'S
4TH BEST HOSPITAL'. IT IS SET
IN COVID TIME AND IT HAS A
WOMAN PROTAGONIST -- WHICH I
WANTED TO WRITE. AND THE
SCENE HERE IS THEY ARE -- THEY
HAVE JUST TRIED TO RESUSCITATE
A YOUNG MAN, WHO CAME IN
HEALTHY, EXCEPT FOR COUGHING
AND COUGHING AND COUGHING AND
THEN HAD A CARDIAC ARREST, HE
DIED, THEY'RE ALL BLOODY AND
EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. AND
THEY COME OUT AND THERE'S BEEN
THIS YOUNG MAN IN A SUIT
WANTING TO SEE THEM. RIGHT?
HI, HE SAID, CHEERILY WITH A
TOOTH PASTE AD SMILE, POINTING
TO HIS BADGE, DIRECTOR OF CARE
FOR SAFETY. THIS HAS BEEN A
REALLY SAD THING FOR THE TEAM.
A YOUNG MAN DIED. AND THEY'RE
ALL FULL OF BLOOD AND DESPAIR.
I HAVE TO INFORM YOU THAT
THERE ARE LIKE TWO DANGEROUS
SAFETY VIOLATIONS, LUCKILY,
THEY ARE EASY FIXES. AMY AND
THE TEAM FACED HIM. SILENCE,
THEIR RAGE WAS PALPABLE, BIG
EDDIE COVERED IN BLOOD, MOVED
TO SLIP BY HIM. HE READ FROM
HIS IPHONE, NUMBER ONE, IT IS
NOT SAFE TO PUT SLOGANS ON THE
WALLS. AND NOT WITH SCOTCH
TAPE. THIS IS A TRUE STORY.
HE POINTED THE PHONE BEHIND
THEM INTO THE BLOODIED --
WHERE THEY TRIED TO SAVE THIS
GUY. TO BE IN COMPLIANCE,
THAT SLOGAN HAS TO COME DOWN.
THE TEAM TURNED AROUND TO
LOOK. THE SLOGAN HAD A
CARDIAC ARREST, THE FIRST
THING TO DO IS TO TAKE YOUR
OWN PULSE. HOUSE OF GOD.
THEY TURNED BACK TO KENNETH S.
MILLER, JR., SILENCE. A
PALPABLE SENSE THAT SOMEONE ON
THE TEAM WAS GOING TO MAKE AN
ADDITIONAL SAFETY VIOLATION BY
STRANGLING KENNETH WITH HIS OR
HER BARE HANDS, THE ODDS WERE
ON EDDIE, ARE YOU SAYING,
DEAR, THE NURSE SAID, THAT THE
SLOGAN IS UNSAFE, OR THE
SCOTCH TAPE? YES, BOTH ARE
UNSAFE. A FIRST WARNING IS
LIKE A WARNING BUT WHAT'S THE
NUMBER TWO? DANGEROUS SAFETY
VIOLATION, AMY ASKED. THAT
THE NURSING STATION, THE
NURSES ARE DRINKING BEVERAGES
FROM THE BOTTLE AND LEAVING
THEM OPEN IN THE AIR, OPEN POP
BOTTLES, OTHERS LIKE BOTTLES
ARE UNSAFE. SLOWLY EAT MY
DUST EDDIE PUSHED HIS WAY PAST
AMY, HE WOULD DIE FOR YOU LIKE
HE WOULD FOR HIS BUDDIES IN
THE RICE PATTIES. IF ON THE
OPPOSING TEAM LOOK OUT. HIS
HEAD SHRINED IN THE BRIGHT
LIGHT, HE BEARD SHINED
SCARLET, HIS PROTECTIVE GEAR
WAS BLOOD, EDDIE WALKED SLOWLY
TO KENNY WHO HAD TO BACK UP
AND BACK UP MORE AND COULDN'T
GET OUT OF THE WAY AND FOUND
HIMSELF IN AGAINST A WALL IN A
CORNER, SLOWLY EDDIE RAISED
HIS BLOODIED GLOVES. WAVING
THE PHONE BACK AND FORTH AS IF
TO HEX A MONSTER. HE STOOD
THERE FOR A LONG TIME. YOUNG
MILLER JR. STARTED TO SHAKE,
SCARED TO DEATH. EDDIE
SMILED. DID I EVER EVEN TOUCH
YOU? HE BARKED AT HIM,
ANSWER? NO. DO YOU FEEL NICE
AND SAFE? CURB CARE SAFE,
THAT'S THE NAME OF THE
HOSPITAL. HE HESITATED, A
TOUGH QUESTION. EAT MY DUST
LEANED DOWN TO HIM AND PUT HIS
FACE ABOUT AN INCH FROM
MILLER'S PLUMP BABY ONE,
SLOWLY ENUNCIATING, I DID NOT
HEAR YOUR ANSWER. TO REPEAT,
YOU RIGHT NOW FEEL NICE AND
SAFE? YEAH, YES, YES, GOOD,
BE CAREFUL DOWN HERE
MR. KENNETH S. MILLER,
JR. IT'S EMERGENCY HERE 24/7.
FULL OF CRAZY PEOPLE WHO ARE
VERY, VERY, VERY HUNGRY.
THANK YOU.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: THANK
YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE TIME FOR
SOME CONVERSATION. AND I'LL
APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE AND
SOME COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE
RECEIVED. THUS FAR. WE DID
HAVE A COMMENT FROM AN
ANONYMOUS MEMBER IN THE
AUDIENCE, BUT I IMAGINE THERE
ARE SEVERAL WHO WERE THINKING
THIS, WHO THANK YOU FOR
WRITING 'THE HOUSE OF GOD'.
THIS PARTICULAR WRITER READ IT
IN HIGH SCHOOL. AND THEN
AGAIN, AS AN EXPERIENCED
CLINICIAN. AND REMARKS ON ITS
CONTINUING RELEVANCY AND I
THINK YOU HAVE HELPED US SEE
THAT AS WELL TODAY. AND THE
SCENE THAT YOU JUST READ US,
TELLS US THAT A LOT OF THE
ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE ADDRESSED
THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER AS A
WRITER AND AS A PHYSICIAN, ARE
STILL VERY MUCH WITH US. AND
A GREAT DEAL OF THE PAIN AND
THE SUFFERING, NOT ONLY OF
PATIENTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES,
BUT OF A VARIETY OF
CLINICIANS, SORT OF ALL
STRIPES. ATTEMPTING TO DO
WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY
BELIEVE IS RIGHT FOR THEIR
PATIENTS. FOR THEMSELVES, AND
FOR THE PROFESSION. SO
LOOKING BACK, ONE OF THE
THINGS I WAS DOING IN
PREPARING THINGS FOR THIS
PROGRAM WAS THINKING ABOUT
SORT OF THE RHYTHM OF YOUR
WRITERS AND I HAVE USED YOUR
FICTION AS RESISTANCE AS AN --
IN CLASSES THAT I'VE TAUGHT
ABOUT PHYSICIANS WHO WRITE
ABOUT MEDICINE. BECAUSE IT
SERVED IN SO MANY WAYS AS KIND
OF A SIGNAL TO ME, ABOUT WHAT
CALLS PHYSICIANS TO WRITE?
AND I FEEL NOW THAT THAT
PIECE, WHICH AS YOU MENTIONED,
CAME OUT IN 2002. REALLY,
MARKS SORT OF THE MIDPOINT
BETWEEN 'THE HOUSE OF GOD' AND
'MAN'S 4TH BEST HOSPITAL'.
DURING WHICH TIME, AS YOU'VE
TOLD US, A NUMBER OF CHANGES,
MAJOR CHANGES HAVE HAPPENED,
AS ORGANIZED MEDICINE HAS
EVOLVED. BUT THESE CHANGES
HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE
BETTER. I DO RECALL ALSO THAT
A FEW YEARS AGO, TO MARK THE
40th YEAR OF YOUR INTERNSHIP,
I BELIEVE IT WAS THE
CONSORTIUM OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS
IN OHIO, THAT CONVENED A
REUNION OF YOUR HOUSE OF GOD
INTERNSHIP CLASS. WOULD YOU
SAY SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT IT
WAS LIKE TO GET TOGETHER WITH
THAT GROUP AGAIN? AGAIN, AT,
YOU KNOW, MANY, MANY DECADES
LATER.
>>SAMUEL SHEM: YEAH. YOU'RE
SO RIGHT, USUALLY, I HAVE TO
SAY, YOU WERE WRONG ABOUT --
IT WAS AT NYU MEDICAL SCHOOL.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: OH,
WAS IT?
>>SAMUEL SHEM: THIS WAS THE
40th YEAR ANNIVERSARY, THE
GREATEST THING I'VE EVER
PARTICIPATED IN. AND YOU CAN
GO TO MAN'S 4th BEST
HOSPITAL.COM, AND THEY HAVE
TAPED -- JAMA, WHO HATED ME
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, JAMA
CALLED UP AND SAID, COULD WE
TAPE -- A HALF OF A DAY, A
HALF A DAY WITH SEMINARS, THAT
WAS JAMMED, 500 PEOPLE AT NYU,
DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THE BIG
THING WAS, WHEN SIX OF US AND
BARRY, THE REAL PEOPLE, GOT ON
STAGE. AND THEY MADE THIS
FANTASTIC, GO LOOK AT IT, JUST
GREAT, IT'S A 25-30-MINUTE
FILM, JAMA MADE OF HOW US
TALKING FOR THE FIRST TIME,
REALLY, ABOUT WHAT IT WAS
LIKE. AND I'M TELLING YOU, IT
WAS A HIGH POINT OF
EVERYBODY'S -- EVERYBODY'S
LIFE, IN FACT, AND THIS -- GO
TO THE VIDEO, YOU CAN LOOK IT
UP, JAMA VIDEO OF HOUSE OF
GOD, WHATEVER, ON THAT
WEBSITE. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO
GO TO THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST
-- SO GOOD, THEY ASKED US TO
GO TO THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST
FILM FESTIVAL, BUT THEN COVID
CAME IN.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: OH.
>>SAMUEL SHEM: YOU KNOW, IT
WAS -- IT WAS ASTONISHING
BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS SO GLAD
TO BE TOGETHER AGAIN, THE
COMMENTS WE HAD, I MEAN,
EVERYBODY WAS SO DAMN FUNNY,
EAT MY DUST EDDIE, JUST LIKE,
IN HYPER HOOP, EAT MY DUST
EDDIE, HYPER HOOPER, THE RUNT,
CHUCK, BARRY, MY WIFE NOW, AND
ME. AND WHAT THE -- ACTUALLY,
WHAT THE STUDENTS WHO WANT --
WHO WERE THERE SAID, THEY WERE
ABSOLUTELY STRUCK BY THE LOVE
THAT WE HAD FOR EACH OTHER.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS:
THERE'S THAT SENSE OF
CONNECTION. THAT CARRIED YOU
THROUGH.
>>SAMUEL SHEM: YES, AND YOU
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, IT'S NOT
JUST THAT WE WERE THERE AND
THEN WE LEFT, WE WERE THERE
AND THEN THERE WAS A BOOK
ABOUT US.
[ LAUGHTER ] SO I MEAN, VERY
FUNNY THING, I'M JUST, YOU
KNOW, A THIRD OF THE WAY
THROUGH THE BOOK, I CALLED UP
HYPER HOOPER, AND I CALLED UP
EAT MY DUST EDDIE, AND SAID,
HEY, GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE IN A
NEW NOVEL.
[ LAUGHTER ] AND HYPER
HOOPER, YOU KNOW, THIS GUY,
HEY, GREAT, I'LL GIVE YOU A
LOT OF IDEAS, I CAN'T WAIT,
HOW CAN I -- YOU KNOW, AND EAT
MY DUST EDDIE, IN A PROMINENT
JOB NOW, HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE,
SAYS, OH, JESUS, I'LL HAVE TO
GET ANOTHER FALSE
IDENTIFICATION.
[ LAUGHTER ] >>MARCIA DAY
CHILDRESS: AND AGAIN, WHAT
YOU'VE EMPHASIZED TOWARDS THE
-- IN THE LATTER PART OF YOUR
TALK IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
CONNECTION, ALSO, BETWEEN THE
DOCTOR AND THE PATIENT. FOR
HEALING PURPOSES, THAT OFTEN
ARE RECIPROCAL. AND MUTUAL.
AND WE HAVE A QUESTION THAT
GOES SORT OF TO THE HEART OF
THIS MATTER, WHY ARE WE STILL
DEVELOPING PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
GROUPS AND ALLOWING MORE
PEOPLE TO GET BETWEEN US AND
THE PATIENT? HOW LONG BEFORE
WE GET TO THE PRACTICE OF
MEDICINE OFF THE STOCK
EXCHANGE?
>>SAMUEL SHEM: OH, BOY. OH,
BOY. OH, BOY. I MEAN, YOU
KNOW, AS I READ, AND READ
'MAN'S 4TH BEST HOSPITAL', IT
TAKES ALL OF THIS ON.
YOU KNOW, WHAT I LIKE TO SAY
IS, TO BE SIMPLE AND FUNNY,
WHICH IS MY -- I'M A SIMPLE,
FUNNY GUY, I GUESS, IN THE OLD
DAYS, WHEN WE COULD GO TO OUT
A THEATER, IF ANYBODY SAW AN
ACTOR FALL DOWN ON THE STAGE,
WOULD WE HEAR SOMEBODY SHOUT
OUT, IS THERE AN INSURANCE
EXECUTIVE IN THE HOUSE?
[ LAUGHTER ] NO. WE ARE THE
WORKERS. WE DO THE WORK. WE
CAN HAVE POWER. WE CAN HAVE
POWER. LOOK AT THE NURSES.
THE NURSES, BECAUSE THEY HAVE
UNIONS, ALMOST NEVER LOSE A
STRIKE. THEY ALMOST ALWAYS
GET WHAT THEY WANT. SO I
MEAN, IT'S VERY CLEAR. IT'S
VERY, VERY CLEAR. YOU'VE GOT
TO BE A DOPE NOT TO AT LEAST
SAY THIS MUCH. WE'VE GOT TO
HAVE, YOU KNOW, A NATIONAL
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. WE CAN
STILL HAVE THE SUPPLEMENTAL,
I'M ON MEDICARE, I HAVE
SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE. IT'S
CHEAP, IT'S WONDERFUL, YOU
NEVER SEE A BILL.
AND THE -- HOW DO YOU GET --
HOW -- HOW DO YOU GET AWAY
FROM SCREENS? BECAUSE THE
MONEY IS WHAT IS KILLING US.
AND WHAT HE SAYS IS, SQUEEZE
THE MONEY OUT OF THE MACHINES.
WE SQUEEZE THE MONEY OUT OF
THE MACHINES AND, YOU KNOW,
WHAT THE BEST EXAMPLE IS? AT
LEAST HAS BEEN NOW IT'S GOING,
YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S GETTING
GRABBED BY THE TRUMP CRAP, THE
V.A. THE V.A., WHY IS THE --
PEOPLE ARE HAPPY -- USED TO BE
HAPPY WITH THE V.A., HAPPY
WORKING THERE AND THEY STILL
ARE HAPPY WORKING THERE. WHY
DOES IT WORK? BECAUSE FOR
INSTANCE, IF YOU ARE CLICKING
FOR AN APPENDECTOMY COST ABOUT
THE SAME PRICE ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, YOU'RE NOT DICKERING
WITH AN INSURANCE COMPANY TO
GET MORE OR LITTLE. SO IF YOU
TAKE THE MONEY OUT OF THE
MACHINES, YOU CURE A LOT OF
PROBLEMS. ANY DOCTOR RIGHT
NOW WHO COULD SPEND LESS TIME
BILLING, IS A HAPPY DOCTOR.
AND WHAT I -- THIS IS ALL GONE
INTO IN THE ANSWER TO THE SIX
RACKETS, IT'S SIMPLE TO GET
DONE. AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS
-- THINGS ARE SO BAD IN
DOCTORS AND HEALTHCARE NOW,
THAT THEY WILL GET BETTER. IT
HAS TO GET THIS BAD FOR THERE
TO BE MOMENTUM FOR CHANGE AND
GOING THROUGH THE 60s, THIS IS
HOW BAD WE HAVE TO BE ALMOST
AND WE WILL GET CHANGE FOR
DOCTORS AND PATIENTS, WE HAVE
TO ALLY WITH NURSES, AND ALLY
WITH PATIENTS, AND OTHER
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN HEALTHCARE.
IT'S NOT MY FIGHT ANYMORE.
IT'S YOURS, IT'S -- YOU KNOW,
WHO'S LISTENING.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: SO AS
A COROLLARY TO THAT, THINKING
ABOUT THE CURRENT CLASSES OF
MEDICAL STUDENTS, ALL AROUND
THE COUNTRY, AND INCLUDING,
YOU KNOW, A WHOLE CONTINGENT
THAT JUST MATCHED AND WE'LL BE
GOING INTO INTERNSHIP YEARS,
HOW DO WE BEST PREPARE THEM TO
SORT OF NOT JUST LINK ARMS BUT
AT ONE POINT, ROY BASH TALKS
ABOUT HAVING LINKED PINKIES
WITH THE FAT MAN, IN
SOLIDARITY, AT A TOUGH MOMENT.
HOW DO WE -- HOW DO WE HELP
OUR MEDICAL STUDENTS, YOU
KNOW, REALLY LEAN IN TO EACH
OTHER? IN THESE WAYS? SO
THAT WE'RE NOT EXPERIENCING
SOME OR NOT EXPERIENCING THE
KIND OF ISOLATION THAT WILL
LEAD TO SUICIDE. OR AT LEAST
TO HORRIBLE BURN OUT.
>>SAMUEL SHEM: WELL, THE
ANSWER IS IN THE SENTENCE NEAR
THE END OF THAT -- THE END OF
'THE HOUSE OF GOD', WHICH I
DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT, WAS THAT
IMPORTANT WHEN I WROTE IT
BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN
YOU WRITE, YOU JUST WRITE. AT
THE END OF THIS MESS, AND
THEY'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
AND THE CHIEF OF MEDICINE IS
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY
EVERYTHING WENT AWRY, WHERE IT
WAS SO BAD -- WHY IT WAS SO
BAD. CHUCK SAYS -- HE SAYS,
HOW CAN WE CARE FOR PATIENTS
IF NOBODY CARES FOR US?
SO I WOULD PUT ONE WORD --
TWO WORDS, TWO C'S, ONE IS
CARE, YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN
YOUR SENSE, DEEPLY, YOU KNOW,
NOT THOUGHT, BUT IN YOUR
HEART, OF CARE. YOU'RE HERE
TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE. AND
THEN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO
TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. AND
THE -- WHAT KILLS US, YOU
KNOW, WHAT KILLS IS THE
DISCONNECTION. SO WE -- WE
HAVE TO STAY TOGETHER, WE HAVE
TO STICK TOGETHER. AND, YOU
KNOW, THAT -- THERE ARE --
THERE'S ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, TEN
COMMANDMENT LAW LIST WITH
'MAN'S 4TH BEST HOSPITAL' AND
YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT. THE
CONNECTION COMES FIRST. I
CAN'T SAY THAT MORE DEEPLY.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: SO
THE ENGLISH NOVELIST IAN
FORRESTER GAVE US THIS
MESSAGE, IN HOWARD'S END, ONLY
CONNECT.
>>SAMUEL SHEM: YEAH. IF HI
TO SAY ONE THING, TO
EVERYBODY, CONNECT. ONLY
CONNECT.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: SO
WE'VE COME TO ENDED OF OUR
HOUR, IT'S BEEN LOVELY
LISTENING TO YOU AND TALKING
TO YOU AND TO HAVE AS OUR
GUEST, SAMUEL SHEM. AND WE
RECOMMEND HIS BOOKS AND
INCLUDING THE ONE HE'S WORKING
ON RIGHT NOW.
WE ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US
NEXT WEEK FOR THE
ALPHA OMEGA ALPHA LECTURE OF
THE
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
. WE'RE GOING TO TALK BE
TALKING ABOUT MASK MAKING,
(UN)MASKING IDENTITY: ART AS
AUTOETHNOGRAPH -REFLECTIONS ON
LIFE AND HEALTHCARE
AND A FAMILY PHYSICIAN,
MARK STEPHENS MD, DEPARTMENT
OF
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE,
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY,
UNIVERSITY PARK PA
MELISSA S. WALKER MA ATR,
HEALING ARTS PROGRAM, NATIONAL
INTREPID CENTER OF EXCELLENCE,
WALTER REED NATIONAL MILITARY
MEDICAL CENTER, BETHESDA MD
CO-PRESENTED WITH THE AOA
CHAPTER, UVA
AND TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH
PATIENTS AND ALSO, WITH
MEDICAL STUDENTS. ON MAKING
MASKS ABOUT IDENTITY. AND I'D
LIKE TO -- GO AHEAD.
>>SAMUEL SHEM: ONE QUICK
THING, I LIKE TO BE PUBLIC
NOW. MY HOME E-MAIL IS
SSHEM@COMCAST.NET.
>>MARCIA DAY CHILDRESS: OKAY,
YOU ALL HEARD IT FIRST HERE,
AND THANK YOU, AGAIN, SAMUEL
SHEM, STEPHEN BERGMAN, THANK