Inner Practice of Medicine program reflections
Dr. Dalton and I - not sure what silly thing I was saying to cause such a reaction!
It was an honor to host 30 physicians and medical students at Upaya Zen Center for the Inner Practice of Medicine program. As this was the inaugural event, I did not completely know what to expect. My main goal going into the weekend was to provide a safe, caring and welcoming environment for physicians to share in their experience and wisdom while giving content that helps contextualize our shared experience. I had also hoped for diversity in the group to provide a rich base for our conversations.
The result of the program blew past all my expectations. We had a lovely and engaged inaugural cohort of 3 medical students, 2 resident physicians and 25 attending physcians representing pediatric surgery, oncology, obstetrics, orthopedics, geriatrics, palliative care, interventional radiology, forensic pathology, emergency medicine, and primary care. We also had close to half BIPOC participants thanks to a generous grant from the Lenz Foundation. Richness in all our discussions spontaneously arose from this diverse group, seeded by both our shared experiences and differences and grounded in our aspirations to serve.
Great gratitude to this wonderful group of brave souls and to my co-teachers, Roshi Joan Halifax, Dr. Clay Dalton and Elena Brower!
Read Clay’s more in-depth reflections
A few select reflections from participants:
“This program was life affirming and regenerative. It helped me to be aware of and express some of the thoughts and emotions I tend to stifle during the practice of medicine. It also provided a community of physicians who were able to bear witness to, support and empower me individually and collectively.”
Ashley O., MD Internal Medicine
“Transformative”
Philip F., MD Orthopedics
“Excellent for creating comradery and a safe place to express yourself and your concerns as a physician.”
Sheila M., MD Family Medicine
“This past weekend was a breath of fresh air. I come out of it with a sense of awe at the profession that I have chosen. The work of being with others is the central work of being human and its greatest joy. We cultivated a safe, practical, community that is committed to reducing suffering in the world. We reinvigorated that quest with an attention to the suffering that we experience in the context of a medical system that increasingly inflicts suffering on our patients. It is a gift to know that there are others in this profession (and across specialities) who are so willing to dive into the depths of the human experience from the first-person perspective.”
Bruce R., Medical student
“Enlightening and important work is done here. To help reform /change/transform medicine, we PHYSICIANS must first ground ourselves, identify and honor our limitations, connect with ourselves and each other. I am grateful to have been part of the inaugural class, and will be better able to serve my patients, staff and colleagues moving forward. Many people talk about physicians growing lack of satisfaction in their work. This is one important way to help mitigate the problem and an important tool to help us prevent it in future generations. Should be taught at every medical school.”
Cheryl D., MD Emergency Medicine
Application for next year’s program is up. Please register early to save your spot!
