Grow, Heal, and Thrive in your work as a physician.
The Calling
As doctors, our work calls on our hearts, minds, dexterity and endurance. The stakes are high, and the demands are great. We live for the times we can make a difference in people’s lives, to ease their suffering, forestall untimely death, and shepherd the arrival of new lives.
The Challenge
The truth is, despite how deeply gratifying our work can be, it can also take a toll. It’s a myth is that we have a boundless reserve for our work and that it’s a personal failure or even a character flaw to be overwhelmed or depleted. How long can we ignore that roughly 50% of medical students and practicing physicians have signs and symptoms of burnout?
The Cure
Access the collective wisdom, intentions, and competence of physicians to create
a paradigm shift so that we equate our success and effectiveness as doctors by how we individually Grow, Heal and Thrive in our service;
the “Missing Curriculum” that teaches us how to be a doctor, not just what to do as a doctor—the things that give meaning to the routines and chores of doctoring;
a network of clinicians who recognize that when we live what we teach, we harness the power of authenticity and alignment;
personal practice prescriptions. One size does not fit all. Clarify your goals. Value your dreams. Love your work.
The bottom line is that Medicine exists to affirm and celebrate life.
Begin that practice at home.
Affirm your own life and discover the contagion of joy and true health.
The Bottom Line Blog
About My Journey
Embark on a journey of personal and professional transformation
One step at a time.
Lauren Kosinski, MD, MS, FASCRS, FACS
As a colorectal surgeon, I’m all about the Bottom Line. Sometimes that means going to places we don’t want to know, and it always means dealing with the basement, the foundations of our existence as well life’s big questions like “Why are we here?” and “How do we flourish?” With nearly 30 years of surgical experience, I have worked in diverse settings ranging from solo general surgery practice in Alaska to academic subspecialty practice emphasizing technical innovations and complex rectal cancer management, from low resource, war torn countries to major metropolitan boutique hospitals. Every step of my work journey has also been my personal journey. Being a doctor is integral to who I am as a human being: a work in progress.
For the last 6 years I have been on a quest to create more resources for physicians. I am convinced we can shift the culture of practice in ways that enrich our capacity to show up in our work with grace, ease, and integrity. This includes exploring constituents of compassion and practices that sustain it. My work is also grounded in reimagining hospitals as institutions that support the wellbeing of everyone who crosses the threshold. The inspiration arises from the belief that anything is possible. We are passionate, strong, and intelligent. When we find ourselves saying, “I didn’t sign up for this,” it is in our power individually and as a profession to transform our service.
Current Projects
Wisdom and inspiration to enrich the practice of medicine.
Short conversations to expand our sense of possiblity.
“I didn’t sign up for this.”
When have you said those words to yourself or someone else? What prompted that thought? What has stood in your way from changing whatever “this” is? Would there be consequences if you talked about it? If you could change “this,” what would it look like? A wise person I know said, “Fantasies are free,” so for a moment, don’t let practicality limit the possibilities.
There is not a single physician I know who has not said this, and many say it daily, even several times a day. I am interested in the space between what we thought we were signing up for and what we actually find ourselves facing day to day in practice or training as physicians. I want to explore what resides in this gap for doctors individually and collectively. If we tell the stories, if we gather them and discern their themes and messages, they will be our teachers. They can be a lens that brings our experiences into focus and points us in new directions.
Share your story—or several stories—confidentially. Please include a little information about yourself such as age, gender, whether you are a medical student, resident, or attending physician, your specialty, maybe something about your practice situation or type, or anything else that adds meaning to your story. If you would also like to talk with me about your story (or stories), please add that to your comments. I think we’ll be amazed by what we discover.