Physician Health and Well-Being: Relieving the Suffering in the World
By John A. Patterson MD, MSPH, FAAFP, ABIHM
Founding co-chair LMS Physician Wellness Program
Albert Schweitzer was my inspiration for choosing a life in medicine. His 50 years of mission service in equatorial Africa is testimony to his life of service.
Especially in these times of rapid societal change – both inside and outside of medicine – we must commit ourselves to perpetuating Schweitzer’s ethic of compassion, service and kindness reflected in these Schweitzer quotations. We must use our training, experience and relationships with colleagues and patients to ensure this life of service forever rings true in medical education and in our lives as physicians.
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“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
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“Man can no longer live for himself alone. We must realize that all life is valuable and that we are united to all life.”
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”The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.”
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To that end, for the last 15 years, I have ended every class I teach with a clear intention for our mindfulness study and mindful practice. Whether the audience is health professions students, residents, fellows, faculty – or people with chronic conditions, caregivers, faith communities or non-profits -the bottom line is the ethic of caring, healing, meaning, purpose and service.
Here is the closing line of each class –
“We practice to fill up our cup of kindness so that it overflows naturally to help relieve the suffering by all beings throughout the world – the two legged, the four legged, the six legged, the 8 legged, the flying ones, the swimming ones, the crawling ones, the green flowering growing ones – all the children who’ve lost their parents, all the parents who’ve lost their children, all those suffering from mental illness, homelessness, war, starvation, persecution, fear and hate.”
Schweitzer quotations
Dr. Patterson’s mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) audio recordings
https://link.edgepilot.com/s/c370593f/rZtiUxhQnkObLTEXslU3FA?u=https://mindbodystudio.org/mindfulness-classes/mindfulness-handouts/mindfullness-class-audio-files/
Dr Patterson is past president of the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians and is certified in family medicine, mind body medicine, integrative holistic medicine, mindfulness-based stress reduction, physician coaching and yoga therapy. He is on the faculty of Saybrook College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences (Oakland)) and the Center for Mind Body Medicine (Washington, DC). He operates the Mind Body Studio in Lexington, where he offers classes, consultations and coaching to manage stress-related conditions and prevent burnout. He can be reached through his website https://link.edgepilot.com/s/beb0ff69/6AXzyxfBAUquysJysJdg7w?u=http://www.mindbodystudio.org/
About the Author–
Dr Patterson is past president of the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians and is certified in family medicine, mind body medicine, integrative holistic medicine, mindfulness-based stress reduction, physician coaching and yoga therapy. He is on the faculty of Saybrook College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences (Oakland), the U of Rochester School of Medicine Mindful Practice in Medicine and the Center for Mind Body Medicine (Washington, DC). He operates the Mind Body Studio in Lexington, where he offers classes, consultations and coaching to manage stress-related conditions and prevent burnout. He can be reached through his website at www.mindbodystudio.org
