Empathic Burnout - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 14

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are welcoming back Karla McLaren, where we talk about empathy and how it applies to burnout for healthcare professionals. We discuss the difference between compassion fatigue and empathic burnout. Here are a few ways to identify whether it's fatigue or burnout :

1. Do you have control over your work product?
2. Do you have a healthy work environment?
3. Are the relationships you have, and management healthy?

If you have Empathic Burnout, it usually comes down to communication processes and skills in the workplace. How do you improve your control of your personal work environment?

By reviewing the processes you have in place for these 3 types of communication:

• Process to request attention from a busy person

• Process to admit you made a mistake

• Process to communicating a problem up, without danger

Most importantly, start by reviewing your own processes for these 3 types of communication and commit to doing it this week!

If you're not familiar with Karla, she is an award-winning author, and social science researcher. Her lifelong work focuses on her grand unified theory of emotions, which revalues even the most “negative” emotions and opens startling new pathways into self-awareness, effective communication, and healthy empathy. She is the founder and CEO of Emotion Dynamics, LLC. Karla is also the author of The Art of Empathy: A Complete Guide to Life’s Most Essential Skill (2013), The Language of Emotions: What Your Feelings are Trying to Tell You (2010), and the multimedia online course Emotional Flow: Becoming Fluent in the Language of Emotions (2012).

Empathic Burnout is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Visualization - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 13

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are talking about visualization, which is the mental process of focusing on an outcome or successful completion, of a series of tasks. It's a mental practice that you can apply before taking action or doing an activity, and can be applied for positive change and performance improvement. Studies have shown that people who visualize ahead of time, are more able to adapt if things don't go to plan. 

How do you apply Visualization?

By doing the following:

• Visualize the  whole activity, to look at the hazards, approaches and expectations

• Anticipate the hazards, approaches and expectations and reinforce the end-goal

• Let the last thoughts be positive

Most importantly, start by visualizing the simple steps as you want them to occur and commit to doing this a few times this week!

Visualization is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Just Breathe 2 - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 12

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are welcoming back Stephanie Mathless, where she builds on the fundamental breathing techniques from Episode 10 that aimed to calm, relax and destress. On this new episode she introduces two new techniques which focuses on boosting energy levels and bringing more clarity to your today. 

• Technique 1 - Bellows Breath for a quick energy boost instead of coffee
• Technique 2 - Imaginative Breathing for an instant calming effect to improve clarity

How do you apply both breathing techniques in your everyday life? Try doing the following:

• Instead of going for your third cup of coffee, try the quick breathing (bellow breath technique)

• When you have a bit more time, then try the imaginative breathing technique

Most importantly, find 2 or 3 moments this week to try a breathing technique and notice the benefits... 

If you’re not familiar with Stephanie Mathless, RYT - she teaches, leads trainings, and hones her own practice at Corepower Yoga in Chicago, IL. She extols the physical and mental virtues of yoga after managing a challenging back injury though her practice. Stephanie takes great pleasure in guiding each student through their own personal journey to health and happiness.

Using breathing techniques is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Knowing Your Handicap - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 11

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are talking about measuring our own self-improvement by 'Knowing Your Handicap' and how this system can be applied from golf to other parts of our lives and career. It allows you, like golf, to create a system where you can track and improve, even if you're at different levels than your colleagues, because you're comparing yourself to your former self. 

How do you apply the Handicap System?

By doing the following:

• Look for one part of your life you want to improve

• Look at how you can measure and create your own handicap system

• Track it and let us know how you go!

Most importantly, compare yourself only to your former self and start building the system into your daily life! 

Knowing Your Handicap is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Just Breathe! - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 10

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are welcoming a new guest, Stephanie Mathless, where she discusses the importance of breathing techniques and the resulting benefits of bringing focus to your breathing, most notably its calming effect. Lengthening your breath - with long open-mouth exhales - has the ability to relax you and in turn has a domino effect throughout your body by slowing the heart beat, reducing tension, and improving your focus and output. 

How do you apply breathing techniques in your everyday life? Try doing the following:

• Build it into your routine, and use them first thing in the morning and last thing at night

• Bring one hand to your heart and the other to your belly. Become aware of your breath

• Build up the length of your inhales and exhales, filling your belly (as opposed to your chest) with air. Allow your exhales to linger a moment or two longer than your inhale.

• Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique to immediately mitigate stress if you're feeling overwhelmed

Most importantly, find 3 moments this week to try a breathing technique and notice the benefits... 

If you’re not familiar with Stephanie Mathless, RYT - she teaches, leads trainings, and hones her own practice at Corepower Yoga in Chicago, IL. She extols the physical and mental virtues of yoga after managing a challenging back injury though her practice. Stephanie takes great pleasure in guiding each student through their own personal journey to health and happiness.

Using breathing techniques is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Collaboration - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 9

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are welcoming a new guest, Katie Klein, where she discusses the use of improvisation to improve collaboration by using other people's ideas to create something together. She describes it as "Yes, and-ing" other people's ideas to create something all together. 'Yes, and...' means "Yes I heard you, I'm listening, and here's how I'm going to build on it..."

How do you use improv in your everyday life? By doing the following:

• Start by listening as listening is the willingness to change and to adapt, it allows you to take the info into a new direction

• See if you have moments in your everyday process where you can say: "Yes, and..."

• Then try using 'Yes, and... " and see how it opens up the possibilities and changes the outcome

Most importantly, think about a situation today where you can replace the word 'but' with the word 'and'...

If you’re not familiar with Katie Klein, you can currently catch her on stage in Chicago on Second City's 41st e.t.c. revue, "Fantastic Super Great Nation Numero Uno." She is an actress, improviser and teacher. She teaches with Second City Works, Improv Olympics (iO) and performs weekly with improv teams in Chicago, The Late 90’s, Virgin Daiquiri, Superhuman and with her husband Neil in, Ed and Kath. She previously wrote, performed and loved the Second City e.t.c. revue “A Red Line Runs Through It.”

Using improv and 'yes, and...' as a collaboration tool is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Attitude - Faking It - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 8

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are talking about the benefits of 'Faking It Until You Make It' and how confidence is key. 

How do you Fake It Till You Make It?

By doing the following:

• Action leads to the emotion, so do it and see how you feel!

• Don't oversell it and go too extreme

• Follow-up with actual results, by showing that you are Making It!

Most importantly, think about your intention (your goal,) and start acting the part! 

Faking It 'Til You Make It is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Knowing Your Janitor's Name - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 7

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are welcoming back orthopaedic trauma surgeon, Phil Stahel, where he discusses one of the concepts of his book: knowing your janitor's name. This concept originates from a quest to be more empathic to patients. Studies show that medical students work towards proficiency and being technically excellent, but lose empathy in their 3rd year of medical school. Erosion of empathy occurs unless we're aware and mindful.

So, why do we need to know our janitor's names?

• It's a good indication of our empathy levels - it's like a marker
• It will allows us to understand our patients better and understand their feelings even if we don't agree with them
• We're more likely to understand their story, allowing us to choose the right procedure for the right patient at the right time
• Lastly, it improves our customer satisfaction scores

So, Do You Know Your Janitor's Name? ... Start today and Practice!

If you’re not familiar with Dr. Stahel, his book, Blood, Sweat and Tears - Becoming a Better Surgeon, is an enlightening dive into his 20-year journey from intern to successful surgeon and global patient safety advocate.

It is a perfect example of how surgeons can be both talented in the theater and talented outside of it.

Attending Annual Meetings - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 6

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are discussing attending annual meetings after the AAOS last week. 

How do you get the most out of attending annual meetings and conferences?

By doing the following:

• Pre-op, the pro-active planning phase: identify the education events and meetings that are important to you, and get those onto your schedule. Consider scheduling time for networking and physical activity. 

• Inter-op, the operating plan during the meeting: follow through on the pre-op plan, but be able to adjust and remain flexible.

• Post-op, the post-meeting debrief: analyze the meeting and identify what went well and what could go better - how you can improve for next year?

Most importantly, do it YOUR way!

Attending annual meetings is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Patient Advocacy - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 5

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week, we are welcoming back onto the mini-Podcast Dr. Todd Swenning, Director of Orthopaedic Trauma at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California, and Medical Director for the Institute of Clinical Orthopedics and Neurosciences. Dr. Swenning will talk to us about patient advocacy, specifically about taking an active part in bettering patient care and thereby improving patient satisfaction. 

Todd A. Swenning, MD

How does he suggest we become the best advocates for our patients day-to-day? By doing the following:

• Asking yourself, how you can be a better patient advocate and remove your own biases from the conversation

• Listening objectively and take steps to answer the questions the patient should be asking 

• Be aware of the concept and think actively about it

• Afterwards, debrief and think critically about how each interaction went

Practice this, and it will become easier over time and make you a better physician.

If you’re not familiar with Dr. Todd Swenning, he is actively involved in policy making and advocacy with the Orthopaedic Trauma Association as well as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.  Dedication to education has resulted in his teaching principles of trauma management and patient advocacy both nationally and internationally.  Research projects in both fracture and trauma management have laid the foundation for his passion for trauma and fracture prevention and preparedness.

It is a perfect example of how surgeons can be both effective in the operating room and outside of it.

Role-Playing - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 4

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week on the Mini-Podcast we are discussing the benefits of role-playing. 

How do you set the scene for role-playing? By doing the following:

• Come up with a situation that you're trying to work on

• Find a counterpart, either a family member, friend or colleague

• Find a way to simulate the scenario you are working on

• Afterwards: do a debrief of how it went. 

Now you are more prepared for the next time!

Role-playing is a perfect example of how surgeons can improve their effectiveness inside and outside of the OR.

Networking - with guest Dr. Todd Swenning - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 3

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

This week, we are welcoming onto the mini-Podcast Dr. Todd Swenning, Director of Orthopaedic Trauma at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California, and Medical Director for the Institute of Clinical Orthopedics and Neurosciences. Dr. Swenning will talk to us about the impact of networking and how it leads to collaboration, which in turn can have significant benefits for you and your patients.

How does he recommend starting to network? By doing the following:

• Being aware and open to building new positive relationships,

• Taking the step to meet others and build collaborations, take action,

• Following-up on the first step, and reach out to those new connections, to create a feedback loop. 

And I recommend to make these positive connections and then leverage them to help yourself and in turn, help yourself help others.

If you’re not familiar with Dr. Todd Swenning, he is actively involved in policy making and advocacy with the Orthopedic Trauma Association as well as the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.  Dedication to education has resulted in his teaching principles of trauma management and patient advocacy both nationally and internationally.  Research projects in both fracture and trauma management has laid the foundation for his passion for trauma and fracture prevention and preparedness.

It is a perfect example of how surgeons can be both effective in the theater and effective outside of it.

Minimizing Risk - with guest Dr. Phil Stahel - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 2

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

We are welcoming orthopaedic trauma surgeon, Phil Stahel, onto the MINI-podcast for the second time in a row, where he’ll challenge us to work on becoming minimizing risk in order to become better surgeons.

How does he recommend taking a pragmatic approach to risk? By answering these 4 questions:

• Question 1 - What is the best thing that can happen if I take the risk?

• Question 2 - What is the worst thing that can happen if I take the risk?

• Question 3 - What is the best thing that can happen if I don’t take the risk?

• Question 4 - What is the worst thing that can happen if I don’t take the risk?

And I recommend that we turn this into a habit with ... PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!

If you’re not familiar with Dr. Stahel, his book Blood, Sweat and Tears - Becoming a Better Surgeon, is an enlightening dive into his 20-year journey from intern to successful surgeon and global patient safety advocate.

It is a perfect example of how surgeons can be both talented in the theater and talented outside of it.

Becoming a Better Listener - with guest Dr. Phil Stahel - Life improvement strategies for the surgeon that wants more ... in 10 minutes - Episode 1

Pump the brakes on your week and take 10 minutes to make your life as a surgeon just a little better…

We are welcoming orthopaedic trauma surgeon, Phil Stahel, onto the NEW Surgeon Masters podcast, where he’ll challenge us to work on becoming better listeners in order to become better surgeons.

How does he recommend becoming a better listener?

• Step 1 - Shut Up

• Step 2 - Listen for 2 minutes!

• Step 3 - Don’t interrupt!

Dr. Stahel also recommends...

• Asking your patients how they want to be addressed. First name? last name? other?

• Asking your patients what makes them happy?

If you’re not familiar with Dr. Stahel, his book, Blood, Sweat and Tears - Becoming a Better Surgeon, is an enlightening dive into his 20-year journey from intern to successful surgeon and global patient safety advocate.

It is a perfect example of how surgeons can be both talented in the theater and talented outside of it.

Because it’s so important to me that you have an opportunity to hear Dr. Stahel’s invaluable insights, I want to make it as easy as possible for you to listen to our chat.

If You Give a Surgeon a Cookie - Part 2

Today, I continue our conversation with  Dr. David G. LaVelle, MD on The SurgeonMasters Podcast. During his more than 30 years of surgical work, Dr. LaVelle has watched surgery transform from a practice that occasionally held a certain butcher-shop feel, to a highly technical  and refined art form. He has experienced every aspect of life as a surgeon, from pre-op to post-op to retirement.

Even though he’s no longer turning 12-hour days in the operating room, Dr. LaVelle remains in clinical practice and is a highly sought-after surgical consultant. His passion for pursuing excellence in surgery is still pronounced, and he works to help up and coming surgeons—and the surgical staff—become more familiar with the finer points of surgery.  

Dr. LaVelle is a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee Medical School at Memphis (1979). He completed his Orthopaedic Surgical Residency in 1984, and has remained on staff at the Campbell Clinic all these years.

Listen as Dr. LaVelle and I discuss a range of topics, including:

• Fighting with osteoarthritis in the hands—the great fear of an aging surgeon…

• Pushing through the pain versus knowing when it’s time to quit…

• The fluctuation between burnout and success…

• Why it’s important to have malleability in self-image…

• Finding gratification outside of the OR and work…

• Replicating the adrenaline rush of surgery with other things…

• And more...

If You Give a Surgeon a Cookie - Part 1

Today, I welcome Dr. David G. LaVelle —an Orthopaedic Surgeon practicing for over 30 years—onto The SurgeonMasters Podcast. During his three-plus decades of work, Dr. LaVelle has seen the world of surgery change and change dramatically. No more dramatically than when he was recently forced to surrender his surgical practice due to progressive arthritis disabling his hands.

In spite of his forced-retirement from the OR, Dr. LaVelle continues to be one of the brightest surgical minds in the country. His passion for helping residents, nurses, and his fellow citizens hasn’t dissipated in retirement, and he continues to be of service both in his personal and professional communities.

Dr. LaVelle, is a pride of Memphis, as a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin, the University of Tennessee Medical School, the Campbell Clinic / University of Tennessee Orthopaedic Residency (1984) before joining the staff at the Campbell Clinic, where he maintains a very successful career.

Listen as Dr. LaVelle and I discuss:

• His difficult transition away from operating room and how that transforms perspective…

• And what happens If you give a Surgeon a cookie…

Being a Surgeon Author

Today, I welcome Dr. Kamshad Raiszadeh—a well-renowned spine surgeon with more than 20 years of surgical experience—onto The SurgeonMasters Podcast. During his two-decades of work, Dr. Raiszadeh has noticed a dramatic and dangerous increase in surgery for the treatment of neck and low back pain, a trend he is trying to combat through his new book, Take Back Control: A Surgeon’s Guide to Healing the Spine Without Medication or Surgery. While the content of his book might be extremely interesting and useful to those suffering from back pain, I invited Kam to talk about his background and experience that writing the book and getting it published. 

After receiving his medical degree from UCSF, Dr. Raiszadeh completed an orthopedic residency at U.C. Davis, and training in adult and pediatric spine surgery at the Hospital for Joint Disease in New York. Today, he is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery, an active member of the Scoliosis Research Society, an active member of the North American Spine Society, and the medical director of the Advanced Spine Institute & Minimally Invasive Spine center at Alvarado Hospital.

Listen as Dr. Raiszadeh and I discuss a range of topics, including:

• Why he is so passionate about the non-operative care of the spine, despite being trained and driven to be a technically excellent surgeon…
• The importance of learning new medical and non-medical perspectives beyond your residency and fellowship training…
• His belief that surgeons are foolishly competitive…
• How to prolong your energy and career by doing what you love…
• How practicing unhealthy empathy and lack of self-care can lead to burnout…
• And more...

Healthy Empathy for Surgeons

Karla McLaren is an award-winning author, and social science researcher.

Her lifelong work focuses on her grand unified theory of emotions, which revalues even the most “negative” emotions and opens startling new pathways into self-awareness, effective communication, and healthy empathy.

She is the founder and CEO of Emotion Dynamics, LLC. Karla is also the author of The Art of Empathy: A Complete Guide to Life’s Most Essential Skill (2013), The Language of Emotions: What Your Feelings are Trying to Tell You (2010), and the multimedia online course Emotional Flow: Becoming Fluent in the Language of Emotions (2012).

Personally, I believe most surgeons would learn a great deal from the expertise of author Karla McLaren, a pioneer in the study, use, and meaning of empathy.

On today’s SurgeonMasters Podcast, she joins us to discuss:

• Understanding whatever emotions people are feeling, and responding appropriately.

• The meaning of reciprocal empathy and how to practice it.

• The difference between empathy and enmeshment.

• Regulating comfortable emotions versus problematic emotions.

• Maintaining your own emotional tone and intellectual reality, and not trying to control or manipulate another person.

• How practicing unhealthy empathy and lack of self-care can lead to burnout.

• The difference between empathy, compassion, and sympathy, and what is healthy empathy.

• ...And much more.

Using Comics to Reflect on the Complexities of Being a Surgeon

Today, I welcome Mary Kay Czerwiec—Artist-in-Residence at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine—onto The SurgeonMasters Podcast.

After graduating from Loyola University of Chicago with a BA in English, MK went on to receive a BSN in Nursing from Rush University, and an MA from Northwestern in Medical Humanities and Bioethics. In addition to her clinical nursing experience in AIDS care and hospice care, MK also creates comics under the pseudonym Comic Nurse (www.comicnurse.com), and runs a website with UK physician Ian Williams: www.GraphicMedicine.org, devoted to the intersection of comics and health. She is co-author of the Eisner Award nominated Graphic Medicine Manifesto (Penn State University Press 2015), and her first graphic memoir, Taking Turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371, will be available in March 2017, also courtesy of Penn State University Press.

Listen as MK and I discuss a range of topics, including:

• How MK teaches medical student how to deal with the stress of the medical profession

• Using drawing as a reflective tool to organize one’s thoughts

• The power of getting outside yourself as a caregiver

• How comics can be used to tell important health stories

• And more…

Learning Empathy from Monsters and Muppets

Today, I welcome Dr. Philip Stahel—orthopaedic trauma surgeon at Denver Health, the regional safety-net hospital and Level 1 trauma center in Colorado. Dr. Stahel is a dual US-Swiss citizen who grew up in Milan, Italy, and trained at Medical School of the University of Zurich, Switzerland before completing his postgraduate training at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, AL, and at Charité University Medical Center in Berlin, Germany. In addition to his works inside the operating room, Dr. Stahel is also author of Blood, Sweat, and Tears—Becoming a Better Surgeon, the founding editor of the peer-reviewed open-access journal Patient Safety in Surgery and editor of a medical textbook under the same title.

Listen as Dr. Stahel and I discuss a range of topics, including:

• His surgical safety initiatives at Denver General
• The value of empathy 
• How to feel for a person without agreeing with them
• Why you learn more from your patients as a doctor than you do anyone else
• How patient stories are the key to being a better healer
• And much, much more…