Find Your Voice, Listen To Theirs
Rain drops trickle down the double-paned, ovoid window as my eyes jump from plane to plane watching for movement on the runway. The rainy weather in my connecting city has brought me back to the familiarity of muggy, hot Spring days that were so common place in my college years and I’m reminded of the excitement I felt of being in a new place, doing new things. As we taxi the runway for what seems like hours I reflect on the whirlwind weekend I’m making my way home from…
New city.
New people.
New ideas.
New Inspiration.
I spent the weekend surrounded by what I can only describe as the most innovative and creative group of people I have ever encountered. The thirst for knowledge, aptitude for leadership, drive for entrepreneurship and innovation in the room was almost palpable. I found myself repeatedly standing just outside of conversations and listening – not wanting to join in too quickly because I was learning so much as an observer.
Amazed by everyone from medical students to physicians to marketers and computer programmers, I began wondering what I had missed…how I had become so complacent with doing the same things every day rather than innovating and advancing.
Being surrounded by people who harbor a thirst for knowledge and desire for advancement is contagious. The viral enthusiasm was quick to seep into my brain and I now find myself wondering how I spent so long in the dark about all the opportunities available for me…for my husband…for anyone who wants to seek them out.
I feel so blessed to have been a part of the Doximity Leadership Summit and I am so impressed with the ideas and information coming out of the group of physicians, students, supporters, developers and crew. My eyes have been opened to an entirely different world of medicine that I never knew I was missing.
Doctor Vartabedian of 33 Charts wrote today on the future of Key Opinion Leaders – what does a physician influencer in the age of social media look like?
In my eyes they look like the people I was with this weekend – innovative, intelligent, well-spoken and … most importantly … just plain excited about all the things we will be accomplishing in the next 10, 15, 25 years.
As medical students and young doctors this is exceedingly important – we have this opportunity to use our voices and ideas to further not only our careers, but the entire field of medicine and how it’s practiced. I no longer feel like we have an option to be involved – this is an obligation…to ourselves, to our patients, to our educational experience. If you aren’t interacting with your tech-forward peers and mentors you are robbing yourself of an opportunity for personal advancement and missing out on inspiration and innovation coming from the mouths (and finger-tips) of people just like you.
Life is short, take this opportunity to find your voice and listen to the voices of others.
The digital age cannot be viewed as threatening for medical professionals any more – the longer we shy away due to scare tactics and unfounded concerns, the longer we lag behind in innovation. We can use this platform to change the world.
To be inspired…to create…to have a voice…this is a privilege.