2019 Humanism in Medicine Award

Acceptance Speech Catherine Florio Pipas, MD, MPH April 29th, 2019 Society of Teachers in Family Medicine (STFM) Annual Meeting Toronto Thank you, I am so honored to receive the 2019 STFM Humanism in Medicine Award and so grateful to be a member of the STFM Community. My journey to Create Cultures of Wellness and to Promote Humanism in Medicine has been extremely rewarding because it…. Challenges me everyday to walk the walk… Provides me the opportunity to learn from all of you and to share what I have learned across the globe Allows me to participate in the national URGENT campaign to build a business model for promoting personal wellness and changing our learning and practice environments

Promoting Humanism in Medicine can be viewed as overcoming another ISM (racism, sexism, humanism) Our culture of medicine has facilitated the depersonalization of us as health professionals - but no one is calling it dehumanizing. We actually call it “superhuman” and we often where this badge of invincibility proudly. But our superhuman status is a major contributor to our burnout. Promoting Humanism in Medicine requires that the system and the culture change But these won’t change themselves. WE ARE THE SYSTEM, WE ARE THE CULTURE WE must lead the CHANGE! I want to share 5 “Wellisms” and corresponding Affirmations that we can all do right NOW to change our culture and our system. Please repeat each Affirmation after me.

“Say NO to Perfection” Good is good, great is great, perfect is unnatural and destructive “More” is not better, and “less” is often “more” Affirmation: “ I can do anything, but not everything” “Say Yes to Team” We must Not only request and demand help, but we must ACCEPT assistance when offered from all our partners (nurses, MA’s, other providers, students, residents, and even our IT folks) Letting go of Control, allows others to thrive Affirmation: “I need and appreciate your help” Embrace Emotions We as humans are designed to experience a full spectrum of feelings. We need to give ourselves permission to be vulnerable and to feel hunger, thirst, fatigue, sadness, frustration, disappointment, grief, and yes even joy. Affirmation: “My emotions make me authentic and powerful” Measure Wellness If we are claiming to be measuring what matters, we must add “wellbeing” to our hospital, department and individual DASHBOARDS. Applying the QI framework broadly brings balance to individuals and organizations. Affirmation: “My Wellness is critical to my effectiveness as a… (fill in the blank)”health professional, teacher, clinician, researcher, parent, spouse, etc… Celebrate Compassionate and Collective Self-Care Stop the Shaming of ourselves and our colleagues Caring for Ourselves is not a sign of selfishness, weakness or laziness; but a means of maximizing our ability to Care for Others. Affirmation: “Cheers to Our Health” I invite you to join our #CultureofWellness and #Humanism in Medicine Campaigns. Please join me in thanking each other for caring for ourselves, and Thank you for caring for you and caring for me!

Catherine Florio Pipas April 2019