How to handle frustration with the "system"

100:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,860Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast, where academic clinicians learn the skills200:00:05,860 --> 00:00:11,260to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor.300:00:11,260 --> 00:00:17,340As clinicians, we spend a decade or more as trainees learning to take care of patients.400:00:17,340 --> 00:00:22,380When we finally start our careers, we want to build research programs, but then we find500:00:22,380 --> 00:00:27,780that our years of clinical training did not adequately prepare us to lead our research600:00:27,780 --> 00:00:29,200program.700:00:29,200 --> 00:00:35,480Through no fault of our own, we struggle to find mentors, and when we can't, we quit.800:00:35,480 --> 00:00:40,580However, clinicians hold the keys to the greatest research breakthroughs.900:00:40,580 --> 00:00:46,200For this reason, the Clinician Researcher podcast exists to give academic clinicians1000:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,800the tools to build their own research program, whether or not they have a mentor.1100:00:51,800 --> 00:01:01,000Now introducing your host, Toyosi Onwuemene.1200:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,520Welcome to the Clinician Researcher podcast.1300:01:03,520 --> 00:01:07,160I'm your host Toyosi Onwuemene, and it is always a pleasure to talk with you.1400:01:07,160 --> 00:01:08,840Thank you so much for tuning in.1500:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,640I am speaking because you are listening.1600:01:11,640 --> 00:01:12,640Thank you so much.1700:01:12,640 --> 00:01:18,920So Jay, I'm talking about how to handle frustration with the system.1800:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,200Plug in any system you want here.1900:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,480I am definitely talking about health systems.2000:01:23,480 --> 00:01:27,640I'm talking about academic medical centers, but it's whatever system you want to plug2100:01:27,640 --> 00:01:33,120in because there's always the system, either the system of grant submissions, the system2200:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,560of research administration, the system of seeing patients in the clinic.2300:01:37,560 --> 00:01:38,560There's always a system.2400:01:38,560 --> 00:01:44,520So I'm going to give some thoughts about how to handle or some thoughts to consider about2500:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,040how to handle frustration with the system.2600:01:48,040 --> 00:01:57,120So I think when I was a younger faculty member, when I was earlier in my career, I feel like2700:01:57,120 --> 00:01:58,960that was not that long ago.2800:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,960I was so much the crusader, like, oh my gosh, this is wrong.2900:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,080I can't believe how terrible this is.3000:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,560Somebody should fix it right now.3100:02:07,560 --> 00:02:12,320And then I would go marching to my division chief and I would say, hey, this is a problem.3200:02:12,320 --> 00:02:16,960And here's my one page proposal that I spent all night agonizing over about how best to3300:02:16,960 --> 00:02:18,160fix it.3400:02:18,160 --> 00:02:22,360And you know, kind person that he was, he did not laugh at me outright, at least not3500:02:22,360 --> 00:02:28,680to my face, but clearly must have been thinking, okay, she just, just was born yesterday.3600:02:28,680 --> 00:02:29,680What is she doing?3700:02:29,680 --> 00:02:35,480But I was really serious about my crusades and I would get angry and I'm like, I can't3800:02:35,480 --> 00:02:40,160believe, I can't believe you haven't done, oh my goodness, I was such a crusader.3900:02:40,160 --> 00:02:41,560And you know, it's not a bad thing.4000:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,920I think, you know, I was young, I had a lot of energy.4100:02:43,920 --> 00:02:46,480I'm still young, actually, I will tell you.4200:02:46,480 --> 00:02:50,600But just, I had a different perspective then than I do now and a different understanding4300:02:50,600 --> 00:02:55,040of how much, how valuable my time was and how valuable my energy was.4400:02:55,040 --> 00:03:01,240And a lot of my energy just went into all these crusades that sadly I've won none of4500:03:01,240 --> 00:03:02,240those crusades.4600:03:02,240 --> 00:03:07,960And maybe I'm a little bit wiser now, but actually it just, the memory was triggered4700:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,840for me by a recent person that I met and she's a little bit younger.4800:03:11,840 --> 00:03:15,960She just started her faculty career, maybe about a year, two years ago.4900:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,960And we were having a conversation about how the clinic sucks and this person doesn't know5000:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,200how to do this and I can't believe this patient didn't get scheduled for an appointment with5100:03:24,200 --> 00:03:25,200me on time.5200:03:25,200 --> 00:03:30,960And wow, there was a lot going on and she was so hot, she was so mad.5300:03:30,960 --> 00:03:38,480And I remember, I remember that experience of being so angry all the time because people5400:03:38,480 --> 00:03:42,080should know better, should do better and they're not.5500:03:42,080 --> 00:03:47,200Anyway, so it was actually that conversation that sparked this podcast episode because5600:03:47,200 --> 00:03:53,920I want to share with her and with actually me when I was there and with people who are5700:03:53,920 --> 00:03:58,280in the same place of frustration, I want to just share with them thoughts about how to5800:03:58,280 --> 00:03:59,880handle frustration with the system.5900:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,500So I'm going to share seven things.6000:04:02,500 --> 00:04:06,740So the first thing is to recognize that you don't have the power to change anyone.6100:04:06,740 --> 00:04:10,140And that's just a fundamental thing to recognize.6200:04:10,140 --> 00:04:15,120This is so important because you always want to know like what power do you have?6300:04:15,120 --> 00:04:16,480Let's say you're a superhero.6400:04:16,480 --> 00:04:17,800What is your superpower?6500:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,880Okay, your superpower is that you can breathe underwater like a fish.6600:04:21,880 --> 00:04:22,960Really great.6700:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,260But your superpower is not flying.6800:04:25,260 --> 00:04:29,120And it's really important because once you know your superpower, you know what your superpower6900:04:29,120 --> 00:04:33,400is and you know what your superpower isn't, there's some things you just don't try to7000:04:33,400 --> 00:04:34,400do.7100:04:34,400 --> 00:04:39,000The superhero who can swim like a fish underwater but cannot fly should not be trying to fly7200:04:39,000 --> 00:04:43,840because trying to fly may result in an early death.7300:04:43,840 --> 00:04:50,480Okay, so coming back from the superhero talk for you, okay, maybe you're not a superhero,7400:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,240but you got to know what powers you have, right?7500:04:53,240 --> 00:04:56,040And I hope you have the power of influence because that's really good.7600:04:56,040 --> 00:04:57,040That works.7700:04:57,040 --> 00:05:01,400But the power to change someone else, the power to make them do what they don't want7800:05:01,400 --> 00:05:06,040to do, the power to make them see things like you see it so that they can do it the way7900:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,080you want it done, you don't have that power.8000:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,040I'm just very sure you don't have that power.8100:05:11,040 --> 00:05:17,600Now if you told me that you go around threatening people and they're afraid and you use fear8200:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,200to drive them, okay, that might work.8300:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,240There's a lot of fear tactic use in medicine.8400:05:24,240 --> 00:05:25,240Okay, okay.8500:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,080There's a lot of strong arming and there's a lot of manipulating.8600:05:28,080 --> 00:05:29,240Sure, you can do all that.8700:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,440It's a lot of work, but sure.8800:05:31,440 --> 00:05:38,320But just recognize that until you have no power to change them, I mean, you can for8900:05:38,320 --> 00:05:42,640as long as you're wielding fear as a strategy or you're wielding manipulation, it might9000:05:42,640 --> 00:05:44,280work for a little bit.9100:05:44,280 --> 00:05:47,160If you're really good, maybe it'll work for a while.9200:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,840But ultimately, even if you win them over, you win them over grudgingly, not because9300:05:50,840 --> 00:05:52,200it's something you want to do.9400:05:52,200 --> 00:05:58,280And as soon as you stop wielding whatever stick that you have, it will go back to normal9500:05:58,280 --> 00:06:00,460pretty quickly.9600:06:00,460 --> 00:06:04,920So it's just important to understand your superpower so that you don't invest time9700:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,280pretending to have a superpower that you don't have.9800:06:07,280 --> 00:06:11,320And I will guarantee you have no power to change others and you know that.9900:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,600You intuitively know that.10000:06:13,600 --> 00:06:20,000And so I hear people say, oh, I told him exactly what to do.10100:06:20,000 --> 00:06:21,800I told him exactly how to do it.10200:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,120And he still didn't do it.10300:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,520It's like, yep, yep, that's not your superpower.10400:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,320All right, that's number one.10500:06:27,320 --> 00:06:31,360Number two, I mean, I think this is really important to sit down and consider.10600:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,840Again, I always talk about Simone's maxims because somebody quoted it to me and I think10700:06:35,840 --> 00:06:38,560it's still an important paper today.10800:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,180And this is this kind of comes, I mean, it's along that flavor.10900:06:42,180 --> 00:06:47,040But it's just you need to recognize that systems are the way they are because they work.11000:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,340Yes, it may be completely dysfunctional.11100:06:50,340 --> 00:06:51,880It may be totally crazy.11200:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,200And like you can't believe anyone lived like this.11300:06:54,200 --> 00:06:59,480And everybody may be whining and complaining about it, but they don't get to become the11400:06:59,480 --> 00:07:01,760way they are by accident.11500:07:01,760 --> 00:07:07,360Your clinic and the way it runs inefficiently did not happen by accident.11600:07:07,360 --> 00:07:14,000Your academic system and the way tenure and promotions happen did not happen by accident.11700:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,960The challenges that people experience in being underrepresented in the academy, those are11800:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,960things that don't happen by accident.11900:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,300They happen because they serve a purpose.12000:07:25,300 --> 00:07:28,880Systems are the way they are because they work for some people.12100:07:28,880 --> 00:07:33,320And usually they work for people with enough influence that going against the grain is12200:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,340usually not safe for other people, right?12300:07:36,340 --> 00:07:39,440Systems are the way they are because they work.12400:07:39,440 --> 00:07:41,720They serve a purpose.12500:07:41,720 --> 00:07:42,720Systems work.12600:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,760They may not work in a way that seems functional to you, but they are the way they are because12700:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,040they work.12800:07:48,040 --> 00:07:55,480And the reality is the moment they stop working for the majority, then they change.12900:07:55,480 --> 00:08:00,240But you are frustrated about systems that have been in place sometimes for 70, 80, 9013000:08:00,240 --> 00:08:01,240years.13100:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,520Some of you have institutions that are older than old.13200:08:04,520 --> 00:08:06,960They've been around for a few hundred years.13300:08:06,960 --> 00:08:07,960Wow.13400:08:07,960 --> 00:08:14,820That's a lot of tradition, a lot of bias, a lot of just whatever it is that skews the13500:08:14,820 --> 00:08:19,040culture of an environment has been going on for so long.13600:08:19,040 --> 00:08:23,360You have to recognize that they are there because they work.13700:08:23,360 --> 00:08:24,760You may not feel like it works.13800:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,720You may not feel like it's functional for patients.13900:08:26,720 --> 00:08:29,120You may not feel like it's functional for your career.14000:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,280I'm not going to argue that, but they work.14100:08:32,280 --> 00:08:33,280That's why they're still there.14200:08:33,280 --> 00:08:37,520And the moment they stop working for the majority, they get overturned.14300:08:37,520 --> 00:08:39,920And so I want to just emphasize that.14400:08:39,920 --> 00:08:45,400So you recognize that even though you're super frustrated, even though you feel like something14500:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,920should change, there are people who would prefer that things remain completely unchanged14600:08:50,920 --> 00:08:55,400because the way the system is suits them just fine.14700:08:55,400 --> 00:09:01,840For example, I remember a time that I was trying to get a badge at the VA, at the VA14800:09:01,840 --> 00:09:05,760hospital, the Veterans Administration Hospital, and I went to line up.14900:09:05,760 --> 00:09:07,200I forget if this was fellowship.15000:09:07,200 --> 00:09:14,880I think this was fellowship because I had a VA that I was connected with for clinic15100:09:14,880 --> 00:09:15,880for my fellowship.15200:09:15,880 --> 00:09:21,320And I went to go get a badge because I think my badge was expiring.15300:09:21,320 --> 00:09:22,760And so I get there.15400:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,000It's probably like, I mean, it's after clinic now and I make it.15500:09:26,000 --> 00:09:27,240I'm just in time.15600:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,840It's like 10 minutes to 12.15700:09:29,840 --> 00:09:31,040And there's nobody in line.15800:09:31,040 --> 00:09:32,960Can I just tell you that there's nobody in line?15900:09:32,960 --> 00:09:33,960OK.16000:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,160So I'm waiting because I'm next.16100:09:36,160 --> 00:09:37,240And there's nobody in line.16200:09:37,240 --> 00:09:42,440This person who's working keeps working until it's 12 o'clock, then gets up, puts a sign16300:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,320outside the door saying off to lunch.16400:09:45,320 --> 00:09:46,320And that was it.16500:09:46,320 --> 00:09:47,320The whole place is shut down.16600:09:47,320 --> 00:09:52,360I got there 10 minutes earlier, 10 minutes before lunch hour.16700:09:52,360 --> 00:09:53,360Still didn't matter.16800:09:53,360 --> 00:09:58,600The whole place shuts down at noon and then it's over.16900:09:58,600 --> 00:10:03,320I say to myself, do I go back without this ID or do I wait for them to come back from17000:10:03,320 --> 00:10:04,320lunch?17100:10:04,320 --> 00:10:05,800And I decided to wait.17200:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,640I waited the whole hour sitting outside the window.17300:10:08,640 --> 00:10:13,040I mean, sitting outside the office and finally got my ID.17400:10:13,040 --> 00:10:14,040Eventually.17500:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,480It took a long time.17600:10:15,480 --> 00:10:19,320But you know, if you've ever had experiences with VA hospitals, and again, that's been17700:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,940several years and at least a decade since I worked in a VA hospital.17800:10:22,940 --> 00:10:25,040So clearly, I'm sure things have changed now.17900:10:25,040 --> 00:10:30,800But I'm just saying that things work the way they work because they work.18000:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,480Because it's the culture, right?18100:10:33,480 --> 00:10:37,960The culture of a place is just the collective experience that everybody is having.18200:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,560And different people experience a culture differently, but everybody comes together18300:10:41,560 --> 00:10:43,240to create the culture.18400:10:43,240 --> 00:10:47,020And so the culture we have serves a purpose, even if it's a bad purpose.18500:10:47,020 --> 00:10:49,920It serves a purpose and that's why it's persisted.18600:10:49,920 --> 00:10:51,200That's why it hasn't gone anywhere.18700:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,680So you just got to understand that this problem is older than you.18800:10:54,680 --> 00:10:57,560Whatever problem you're frustrated by is usually older than you.18900:10:57,560 --> 00:11:01,120In fact, it may be older than several generations of your family members.19000:11:01,120 --> 00:11:06,320You just got to recognize that because here you are coming trying to, in a sense, fight19100:11:06,320 --> 00:11:12,960against a pillar of your institution, a pillar, like a structural cultural pillar.19200:11:12,960 --> 00:11:13,960That's what you're trying to come against.19300:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,320So you just want to recognize the impossibility of that task.19400:11:17,320 --> 00:11:22,440Okay, number three is that you want to decide what's most important to you.19500:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,840I mean, the issues that we're bothered by are big issues.19600:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,960A patient wasn't seen, a patient wasn't treated appropriately, someone's treated disrespectfully.19700:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,560You heard about there's so many things and they are all important.19800:11:33,560 --> 00:11:34,560They are.19900:11:34,560 --> 00:11:37,240You have to decide what is most important to you.20000:11:37,240 --> 00:11:38,540What are you here for?20100:11:38,540 --> 00:11:42,640This is so important, especially for people who are underrepresented in the academy.20200:11:42,640 --> 00:11:43,640Why are you here?20300:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,360It's so important to clarify.20400:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,440I mean, and sometimes we feel like, oh, we're here to build community.20500:11:49,440 --> 00:11:50,440We're here to do this.20600:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,280And it's like, yeah, you could do all those things anywhere else.20700:11:53,280 --> 00:11:54,760But why are you here specifically?20800:11:54,760 --> 00:11:58,760Like, what did you come to get from here that matters to you?20900:11:58,760 --> 00:11:59,760What is it?21000:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,640I mean, this is really important because you want to be very clear on why you're here,21100:12:03,640 --> 00:12:05,400why you're in this place, why you're in the system.21200:12:05,400 --> 00:12:06,400What did you come to get?21300:12:06,400 --> 00:12:11,160For example, sometimes, let's say, you know, one of my fellows will be like off on a crusade21400:12:11,160 --> 00:12:14,600and it's like, wait a minute, wait a minute, why did you come again to fellowship?21500:12:14,600 --> 00:12:18,440I came to be certified, to be board certified in this area.21600:12:18,440 --> 00:12:19,440Okay.21700:12:19,440 --> 00:12:20,440Does this help you get that certification?21800:12:20,440 --> 00:12:23,360I mean, you just want to be clear.21900:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,520Like, does it help you get to your goal?22000:12:25,520 --> 00:12:26,520You want to be clear.22100:12:26,520 --> 00:12:29,320It's like, well, no, I want to make sure it doesn't happen like this for someone else.22200:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,080It's a problem that's older than you.22300:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,000And after you leave, this problem will still be here.22400:12:35,000 --> 00:12:39,920But you, you may leave without the certification you came for if you're not able to finish22500:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,600the work that you're actually supposed to do.22600:12:42,600 --> 00:12:47,840And so it's just really important to clarify your goals for any environment.22700:12:47,840 --> 00:12:48,840And we always have a goal.22800:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,800We always have a goal in our interaction in any environment.22900:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,560It's very rarely that we don't have a goal.23000:12:54,560 --> 00:12:58,720And patient care, it's part of that experience, but it's not our primary.23100:12:58,720 --> 00:13:00,480It's not our only goal, right?23200:13:00,480 --> 00:13:06,560Or solving the problem of unhappiness in medicine is a great goal, but may not be your primary23300:13:06,560 --> 00:13:07,560goal.23400:13:07,560 --> 00:13:11,240It would be nice to do your work, get your outcome and make everybody happy.23500:13:11,240 --> 00:13:15,360But if you have to choose, you want to know which takes precedence.23600:13:15,360 --> 00:13:16,840And that's important.23700:13:16,840 --> 00:13:18,680What is most important to you?23800:13:18,680 --> 00:13:22,600Peace of mind, joy, harmony, all those things.23900:13:22,600 --> 00:13:28,680You just got to recognize your values and nobody can tell you what those are.24000:13:28,680 --> 00:13:33,120You'll be happy to work with you and help you figure it out.24100:13:33,120 --> 00:13:38,400But you want to know that you know what's most important to you so you can clarify how24200:13:38,400 --> 00:13:43,880much energy and investment you really want to put into handling or changing your frustration24300:13:43,880 --> 00:13:44,880with the system.24400:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,520Okay, you've decided what's important to you.24500:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,840You're like, yes, this is something I really want to intervene in.24600:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,480Physicians are no longer happy.24700:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,960I'm going to do this initiative that's going to make all physicians happy.24800:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,120So decide on your intervention.24900:13:59,120 --> 00:14:02,400It's one thing, you know, everybody can complain.25000:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,080I mean, oh my goodness, who doesn't love a good complaint?25100:14:05,080 --> 00:14:09,520You sit down, you gripe, you're all angry, you all get so mad and then you can miss a25200:14:09,520 --> 00:14:11,520rate because you're all experiencing the same thing.25300:14:11,520 --> 00:14:12,960So everybody feels so good.25400:14:12,960 --> 00:14:13,960Oh, yeah.25500:14:13,960 --> 00:14:15,160I mean, so amazing.25600:14:15,160 --> 00:14:16,160So awesome.25700:14:16,160 --> 00:14:17,160So sweet.25800:14:17,160 --> 00:14:23,500But you're in leave complaining and determine what intervention do you want to champion?25900:14:23,500 --> 00:14:28,440What is the answer to the problem of not enough providers to see too many patients?26000:14:28,440 --> 00:14:30,720What is your answer to that question?26100:14:30,720 --> 00:14:31,720Great.26200:14:31,720 --> 00:14:33,600How do you determine to solve it?26300:14:33,600 --> 00:14:38,640Oh, you have a plan, an incentive plan for all physicians who see more patients than26400:14:38,640 --> 00:14:39,720they're supposed to.26500:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,640Good for you.26600:14:41,640 --> 00:14:42,640Figure out the intervention.26700:14:42,640 --> 00:14:47,680It's so important because I think so many people get stuck in griping that they haven't26800:14:47,680 --> 00:14:51,840determined what intervention they want to see or what intervention they want to champion.26900:14:51,840 --> 00:14:53,880And you can make change happen.27000:14:53,880 --> 00:14:54,880Absolutely.27100:14:54,880 --> 00:14:59,880If you're very clear about what that change brings you, what gift it gives to you and27200:14:59,880 --> 00:15:03,480what the intervention is that you have to make a difference.27300:15:03,480 --> 00:15:04,480Okay.27400:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,200So determine after you decide what's most important to you.27500:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,760You're very clear about your goals for your stay here.27600:15:10,760 --> 00:15:11,760Determine the intervention.27700:15:11,760 --> 00:15:12,760So it's measurable, right?27800:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,520I made this intervention and this is the outcome that I got, right?27900:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,360Now in going to implement your intervention, whether that is you're trying to influence28000:15:20,360 --> 00:15:25,600somebody else who's a decision maker, or you're trying to make a proposal to get people to28100:15:25,600 --> 00:15:31,400buy in, whatever it is, it is important for you to decide upfront what you can and cannot28200:15:31,400 --> 00:15:32,400live with.28300:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,060This is important.28400:15:34,060 --> 00:15:43,920For example, one of my mentees had a situation where she really was frustrated by the way28500:15:43,920 --> 00:15:45,320her clinical environment was.28600:15:45,320 --> 00:15:46,320I mean, she was so frustrated.28700:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,280She was like, they don't do this, they don't do that.28800:15:48,280 --> 00:15:49,280There's not enough support.28900:15:49,280 --> 00:15:53,680It was a litany of complaints.29000:15:53,680 --> 00:15:59,760And so at some point you have to decide, okay, wow, this, you know, I've been complaining29100:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,040since the day I got here.29200:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,520This is the way it seems to always be.29300:16:04,520 --> 00:16:05,720What can I live with?29400:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,480What can I live without?29500:16:07,480 --> 00:16:09,320What can I live with?29600:16:09,320 --> 00:16:10,320Right.29700:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,360So you're making the decision that's too well, oh, okay.29800:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,000I guess this is just the way they work here.29900:16:16,000 --> 00:16:18,840Can I live with it or can I just not work like this?30000:16:18,840 --> 00:16:23,760And it's so important because the moment you recognize that you cannot work in a clinic30100:16:23,760 --> 00:16:28,200where MAs are not available to support you, it's good.30200:16:28,200 --> 00:16:33,760You now know what you can and cannot live with.30300:16:33,760 --> 00:16:36,040What if you're like, it doesn't matter that there are no MAs.30400:16:36,040 --> 00:16:41,000I'll work with one of the nursing staff who's not an MA, right, or one of the nursing staff,30500:16:41,000 --> 00:16:42,000right?30600:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,920MAs are not nursing staff, but they're sometimes on their way to becoming nursing staff.30700:16:45,920 --> 00:16:49,240So you decide that, oh, okay, I can't do this.30800:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,200Or you decide, well, you know, that's not such a big deal.30900:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,560You're the only one to decide what you can and cannot live with because the reality is31000:16:56,560 --> 00:17:02,220that it is more likely that this problem that preceded you is going to succeed you.31100:17:02,220 --> 00:17:03,960It's just more likely than not.31200:17:03,960 --> 00:17:09,720I'm not trying to be pessimistic here, but you want to say to yourself, if change will31300:17:09,720 --> 00:17:14,400never happen no matter what I do, to what extent am I prepared to live with things if31400:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,160this is the way they always will be?31500:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,800But you just want to make a decision.31600:17:18,800 --> 00:17:24,760If your decision is no matter what they do, I'm going to stay, that's important.31700:17:24,760 --> 00:17:28,200But if you're like, you know what, I cannot live like this.31800:17:28,200 --> 00:17:30,920This is not the way I've envisioned my clinic experience.31900:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,400I don't want to do this.32000:17:34,400 --> 00:17:39,840You want to make sure that you decide which pieces you can do, which pieces you would32100:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,040prefer not to have to do.32200:17:42,040 --> 00:17:43,040Okay.32300:17:43,040 --> 00:17:49,960The next thing is to set a time with which to see the intervention through because the32400:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,200thing about interventions is that they can take a long time.32500:17:53,200 --> 00:17:58,600They need an awful long time for you to see it through, but you've got to decide, okay,32600:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,160I have 12 months for this intervention or I have three weeks for this intervention or32700:18:02,160 --> 00:18:04,080I have two weeks.32800:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,600Whatever your timeframe, set it, set it.32900:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,080This is how much it's kind of like when you think about making an investment in the stock33000:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,800market, actually, to be honest, this is more like gambling with slot machines because I33100:18:13,800 --> 00:18:18,280told you you can't change anybody, but we're just going through emotions here.33200:18:18,280 --> 00:18:19,920It's like a slot machine.33300:18:19,920 --> 00:18:24,000You put in a lot of coins, eventually you're going to hit, eventually.33400:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,840But you may lose a lot trying to hit this one round, right?33500:18:27,840 --> 00:18:32,760So you just have to decide, it's like, I'm just going to do X number of dollars.33600:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,420In the moment you get to the X number of dollars, you're done.33700:18:35,420 --> 00:18:38,240Even if it's like, I bet the next one's going to be it.33800:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,600Even if that's how you feel, you just say, oh, that's enough.33900:18:41,600 --> 00:18:42,600It's the same thing.34000:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,040You're going to set the time with which to see your intervention through and you're going34100:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,480to say, no matter what, no matter how close I am, three months from now, seven months34200:18:48,480 --> 00:18:51,280from now, two years from now, I'm going to be done.34300:18:51,280 --> 00:18:55,560And you want to make sure to set the time so that you can really make the investment34400:18:55,560 --> 00:18:57,400push as hard as you want.34500:18:57,400 --> 00:19:01,040And then turn around and decide, you know what, the time I set for it, it didn't work.34600:19:01,040 --> 00:19:02,520No thank you.34700:19:02,520 --> 00:19:07,840And the final thing is be okay with quitting.34800:19:07,840 --> 00:19:09,400In medicine, we struggle to quit things.34900:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,960We just feel like, nope, we must see it all the way through.35000:19:12,960 --> 00:19:17,120We don't want to not do our obligation.35100:19:17,120 --> 00:19:20,320But you know what, when you get to a place where you're like, you know what, people are35200:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,200hard to change.35300:19:22,200 --> 00:19:23,800And I've done all the best that I can.35400:19:23,800 --> 00:19:24,800I've created an intervention.35500:19:24,800 --> 00:19:26,080I've seen it through.35600:19:26,080 --> 00:19:27,840And wow, nothing's changing.35700:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,600It's okay to quit the crusade.35800:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,720It is okay to quit.35900:19:32,720 --> 00:19:34,360And you may not quit medicine.36000:19:34,360 --> 00:19:36,320You may not say, I'll never practice again.36100:19:36,320 --> 00:19:39,560Or you'll never say, you may not say, oh, I don't want to do this clinical research36200:19:39,560 --> 00:19:41,240thing anymore.36300:19:41,240 --> 00:19:45,160Whatever it is, you don't have to quit the whole thing.36400:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,600But be okay with saying to the crusade, I've served you enough.36500:19:48,600 --> 00:19:50,920It's time to move on.36600:19:50,920 --> 00:19:55,440And it's important to do that because if you think about how much energy you expend trying36700:19:55,440 --> 00:20:00,840to fight for what should already be yours, or trying to make people see reason, or trying36800:20:00,840 --> 00:20:05,560to make them come around to your way of thinking, it's a lot of energy.36900:20:05,560 --> 00:20:09,800And it's energy that you are not spending doing things that actually move you forward.37000:20:09,800 --> 00:20:16,520You are stuck in, to some extent, the past of what could be you or how people might respond37100:20:16,520 --> 00:20:21,460instead of really moving forward into your space of creativity, whatever that looks like.37200:20:21,460 --> 00:20:24,720And so it's important to quit so that you're released.37300:20:24,720 --> 00:20:29,200It takes too much energy trying to convince people to do things that they actually don't37400:20:29,200 --> 00:20:30,460want to do.37500:20:30,460 --> 00:20:35,360So when you have seen your intervention all the way through, you set the right time, the37600:20:35,360 --> 00:20:40,680time frame that feels authentic to you, and you don't, if you don't achieve it, then you've37700:20:40,680 --> 00:20:42,520got to be okay with saying, you know what?37800:20:42,520 --> 00:20:43,520Okay, I quit.37900:20:43,520 --> 00:20:45,520You don't have to quit everything.38000:20:45,520 --> 00:20:50,840Remember, you just have to quit the one thing, that one thing that's really frustrating, and38100:20:50,840 --> 00:20:51,840you want it to champion.38200:20:51,840 --> 00:20:56,760You have to be willing to say, okay, maybe not me, maybe not me.38300:20:56,760 --> 00:21:00,000If you struggle, if you struggle, definitely reach out to me.38400:21:00,000 --> 00:21:06,120Let's talk about which of our programs may be a fit for you, and definitely reach out38500:21:06,120 --> 00:21:08,360and let me know how I can support you.38600:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,160Again, remember that we have a webinar coming up December 20th at 12 p.m.38700:21:12,160 --> 00:21:17,920When you have no research mentor, please sign up on our website, clinicianresearcherpodcast.com.38800:21:17,920 --> 00:21:23,320You can also sign up on our coaching website, www.coedcoach.com.38900:21:23,320 --> 00:21:28,440All right, to summarize how to handle frustration with the system, number one, recognize that39000:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,160you have no power to change others.39100:21:30,160 --> 00:21:35,920Number two, remember, assistance are the way they are because they serve a purpose.39200:21:35,920 --> 00:21:39,640They work, even though they may not work to your benefit.39300:21:39,640 --> 00:21:43,120You want to decide what's most important to you, why you're really here, making sure you're39400:21:43,120 --> 00:21:48,880not losing sight of what you really came to do in this environment.39500:21:48,880 --> 00:21:49,880Determine the intervention.39600:21:49,880 --> 00:21:54,880Don't just sit and complain, and decide what you can and cannot live with, set a time within39700:21:54,880 --> 00:21:59,280which to see the intervention through, and finally be okay with quitting the crusade.39800:21:59,280 --> 00:22:04,760All right, somebody needs to hear this episode, please share it with one person today.39900:22:04,760 --> 00:22:06,280Just one person.40000:22:06,280 --> 00:22:11,840Let's transform the lives of clinicians, scientists everywhere, one clinician scientist at a time,40100:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,360or one aspiring clinician scientist at a time.40200:22:14,360 --> 00:22:16,440All right, it's been a pleasure talking with you today.40300:22:16,440 --> 00:22:17,880Thank you so much for listening.40400:22:17,880 --> 00:22:29,400I look forward to talking with you again the next time.40500:22:29,400 --> 00:22:34,760Thanks for listening to this episode of the Clinician Researcher Podcast, where academic40600:22:34,760 --> 00:22:40,320clinicians learn the skills to build their own research program, whether or not they40700:22:40,320 --> 00:22:41,560have a mentor.40800:22:41,560 --> 00:22:47,680If you found the information in this episode to be helpful, don't keep it all to yourself.40900:22:47,680 --> 00:22:49,400Someone else needs to hear it.41000:22:49,400 --> 00:22:53,480So take a minute right now and share it.41100:22:53,480 --> 00:22:58,920As you share this episode, you become part of our mission to help launch a new generation41200:22:58,920 --> 00:23:18,960of clinician researchers who make transformative discoveries that change the way we do healthcare.