"Finding personal meaning in one's work imbues even the most routine of tasks with
satisfaction and even joy. Meaning enables us to recognize the authentic value of our work
and of our lives. And in times of crisis meaning heals us, not by numbing our
pain or distracting us from our problems or comforting us, but by reminding us
of who we are and what we stand for. Shared meaning reminds us that we do not
stand alone.
As
physicians, most of us lead far more meaningful lives than we realize. Because
we are distracted by time pressure and the countless details of practice, it is
possible for us to do profoundly meaningful work without ever experiencing a
sense of meaning. The meaning of the work is there, nonetheless. Many of
today's medical care organizations offer little support for incorporating the
traditional values of our profession into the daily care of patients. However,
we cannot wait for others to recognize our needs and to devise programs that
will help us reclaim the soul of our work. Because doctoring has never been
more difficult, it may be part of our responsibility as professionals to fight
for our sense of meaning against fatigue and numbness, overwork and
unreasonable expectations - to find ways to strengthen it in ourselves and in
each other.”
Rufsvold RM, Remen RN. Finding Meaning in Medicine: Reclaiming
the Soul of Practice. San Francisco Medicine, May 2002.
Rachel Naomi Remen MD
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