Friday, November 23, 2007
Thanksgiving Day
It is the end of the Rural Clinical School year. I am in Perth for meetings and exams, saying goodbye to all our RCS students as well as my fellow RCS Coordinators. And I am a happy man. I have so much to be thankful for. I won’t list everything- it would take me all day. But after living in Australia for a year, Thanksgiving Day has a special poignancy.
Frozen turkeys in Perth run about AU$ 38 for a 12 pound bird (AU$ 69 for same size in Derby!), so we opted to have “Thanksgiving Breakfast” Friday morning at Miss Maud’s Swedish Buffet downtown. With time differences, it was still evening of Thanksgiving in the U.S., and we both love breakfast, so this seemed perfect. Miss Maud’s is in the Swedish Hotel, and has already been decorated for Christmas. It was very charming. We enjoyed Swedish pancakes, wonderful breads and fruit with muesli. While we were relaxing, the couple next to us overheard us talking and struck up a conversation about Australia. As soon as we open our mouths here, anyone can guess we are American. (But to be politic, they ALWAYS guess “Canadian” first, because apparently our Northern neighbors are quite offended to be lumped in with us Yanks).
These nice people wondered how we liked Perth. But as we talked, it turned out they were Kiwis. Not only that, they were just back from visiting New Zealand. And to top it off, they were from Winton. Not only FROM Winton, but both BORN there.
Which brings me to the soon-to-retire Head of School, my boss this year, Campbell Murdoch, and his theory of causality. Campbell tells me that he deeply feels that things don’t just happen by coincidence. Certainly one of the things I’m most thankful for this year, is the opportunity to work for Campbell and be part of the wonderful team of RCS faculty. This opportunity came about due to a “chance” meeting he had with our mutual friend and former Winton practice nurse, Dawn, when a plane was delayed in a New Zealand airport 18 months ago. She told Campbell of my interest in Australia, gave him my e-mail address, and the rest is now history. {picture of Campbell, in center at right, with Port Hedland MC and students}
Campbell and Annie visited us in Derby midyear, and have been concerned and supportive of us all year. I’ve realized how much I’ve missed talking with an older, wiser, doctor in recent years. As I age, opportunities to talk to someone like Campbell become more rare and precious. (I’m not sure he was very happy with my expressed appreciation of his ancient wisdom.)
Although I don’t see the other RCS Site Coordinators and Faculty daily, we have regular meetings, and communicate with daily e-mail, and fortnightly video conferences. The 5 central meetings we’ve had this year provide enough opportunity for personal interaction that I’ve made great friendships among the faculty. I am thankful for all that I have learned from them. This extends from a basic understanding of medical education in Australia, to tips about Aboriginal health, to understanding the rules of “footy” and cricket. They have also been very interested in what I have to say. And, they have been most patient when I’m sure I’ve put my foot into it and said something offensive or off-target.
I believe it is unfortunate that so many American doctors lack experiences in foreign medical settings. I very much admire my faculty friends for their diverse backgrounds and the experiences they bring to the RCS. Like the local doctors in Derby, many of them are OTDs, and bring an international perspective to the RCS’s medical education from places such as England, Scotland, and South Africa. One is a Rhodes Scholar, and all have fascinating stories to tell. Added to the RCS’s home-grown faculty, who often have extensive overseas experiences in places like Papua New Guinea, the RCS fields a strong team. All of them have been or are practicing country doctors. As I helped with the OSCEs in urban Perth yesterday, and met the suit-and-tied Urban UWA faculty, I was struck by what a different bunch we RCS teachers are with our relaxed, blue-jeaned, practical, at-the-coalface approach to medicine, and to people in general.
Campbell talks about the RCS as being a family-friendly organization, but it is much more. It is a true family, engaged in the generative process of raising our “children” to be good doctors. And today I am thankful to have been accepted into this family this year. I will miss them so much. Vicki and I cannot bear to really say goodbye to them, so we leave them with invitations to visit us in Maine for “lobster rolls and whoopee pies” (a tribute to the kind of humorous innuendo that Campbell so enjoys).
The Professor has built a great team by including people in a meaningful endeavor that is larger than themselves. He does this with humility, humor and joy. He possesses a charisma I’d heard about from many people in Winton, but had to experience to fully understand. I see Campbell accepting and acknowledging the value, beauty and worth of every human being he meets. (This is how he gets away with a kiss and a hug with all the women, without ever getting slapped.) And he and I are both very lucky to be supported by strong, patient women, who have been willing to go places that most doctors’ spouses would never consider. Fate has provided Campbell with his Annie, and me, with Vicki; and I know that, of all things in our lives, we are both most thankful for that.
Campbell, as he leaves his 5 years as Head of the RCS, admonished us with his “two rules” for success. First, “don’t ever become respectable” because respectability deprives you of the ability to grow, progress and change life for the better. And the other rule is that when others tell you “you must do it this way”; or worse, “it can’t be done”; tell them to “bugger off”. (To get the full effect, say it again—this time in a deep Scottish accent… “BUGGER OFF!”).
A few weeks ago I wrote about fate, but spending a few days with Campbell and the RCS faculty has made me rethink my attitude. Certainly fate exists and must be dealt with. But I find myself more positive about it this week. We can deal with fate by building relationships with people who center on positive, generative endeavors. By doing this, we imbue our lives with meaning and purpose. And for this, and the opportunity to learn this from the RCS, I am forever thankful.
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These nice people wondered how we liked Perth. But as we talked, it turned out they were Kiwis. Not only that, they were just back from visiting New Zealand. And to top it off, they were from Winton. Not only FROM Winton, but both BORN there.
Which brings me to the soon-to-retire Head of School, my boss this year, Campbell Murdoch, and his theory of causality. Campbell tells me that he deeply feels that things don’t just happen by coincidence. Certainly one of the things I’m most thankful for this year, is the opportunity to work for Campbell and be part of the wonderful team of RCS faculty. This opportunity came about due to a “chance” meeting he had with our mutual friend and former Winton practice nurse, Dawn, when a plane was delayed in a New Zealand airport 18 months ago. She told Campbell of my interest in Australia, gave him my e-mail address, and the rest is now history. {picture of Campbell, in center at right, with Port Hedland MC and students}Campbell and Annie visited us in Derby midyear, and have been concerned and supportive of us all year. I’ve realized how much I’ve missed talking with an older, wiser, doctor in recent years. As I age, opportunities to talk to someone like Campbell become more rare and precious. (I’m not sure he was very happy with my expressed appreciation of his ancient wisdom.)
Although I don’t see the other RCS Site Coordinators and Faculty daily, we have regular meetings, and communicate with daily e-mail, and fortnightly video conferences. The 5 central meetings we’ve had this year provide enough opportunity for personal interaction that I’ve made great friendships among the faculty. I am thankful for all that I have learned from them. This extends from a basic understanding of medical education in Australia, to tips about Aboriginal health, to understanding the rules of “footy” and cricket. They have also been very interested in what I have to say. And, they have been most patient when I’m sure I’ve put my foot into it and said something offensive or off-target.
I believe it is unfortunate that so many American doctors lack experiences in foreign medical settings. I very much admire my faculty friends for their diverse backgrounds and the experiences they bring to the RCS. Like the local doctors in Derby, many of them are OTDs, and bring an international perspective to the RCS’s medical education from places such as England, Scotland, and South Africa. One is a Rhodes Scholar, and all have fascinating stories to tell. Added to the RCS’s home-grown faculty, who often have extensive overseas experiences in places like Papua New Guinea, the RCS fields a strong team. All of them have been or are practicing country doctors. As I helped with the OSCEs in urban Perth yesterday, and met the suit-and-tied Urban UWA faculty, I was struck by what a different bunch we RCS teachers are with our relaxed, blue-jeaned, practical, at-the-coalface approach to medicine, and to people in general.Campbell talks about the RCS as being a family-friendly organization, but it is much more. It is a true family, engaged in the generative process of raising our “children” to be good doctors. And today I am thankful to have been accepted into this family this year. I will miss them so much. Vicki and I cannot bear to really say goodbye to them, so we leave them with invitations to visit us in Maine for “lobster rolls and whoopee pies” (a tribute to the kind of humorous innuendo that Campbell so enjoys).
The Professor has built a great team by including people in a meaningful endeavor that is larger than themselves. He does this with humility, humor and joy. He possesses a charisma I’d heard about from many people in Winton, but had to experience to fully understand. I see Campbell accepting and acknowledging the value, beauty and worth of every human being he meets. (This is how he gets away with a kiss and a hug with all the women, without ever getting slapped.) And he and I are both very lucky to be supported by strong, patient women, who have been willing to go places that most doctors’ spouses would never consider. Fate has provided Campbell with his Annie, and me, with Vicki; and I know that, of all things in our lives, we are both most thankful for that.
Campbell, as he leaves his 5 years as Head of the RCS, admonished us with his “two rules” for success. First, “don’t ever become respectable” because respectability deprives you of the ability to grow, progress and change life for the better. And the other rule is that when others tell you “you must do it this way”; or worse, “it can’t be done”; tell them to “bugger off”. (To get the full effect, say it again—this time in a deep Scottish accent… “BUGGER OFF!”).
A few weeks ago I wrote about fate, but spending a few days with Campbell and the RCS faculty has made me rethink my attitude. Certainly fate exists and must be dealt with. But I find myself more positive about it this week. We can deal with fate by building relationships with people who center on positive, generative endeavors. By doing this, we imbue our lives with meaning and purpose. And for this, and the opportunity to learn this from the RCS, I am forever thankful.
