A New 12 months, A Renewed Dedication:
All of us want a compass in life. Daily, our ideas function this information, moulding the alternatives we make. In his reflection, Lord Laidlaw’s surgeon Dr Struwig highlights the ripple impact that happens once we do the precise factor: actions converse louder than phrases, inspiring these round us to comply with go well with.
Lord Laidlaw needed to share Dr Struwig’s ideas with you as a result of they superbly seize the explanation he arrange the Students’ programme and continues to fund it totally himself as we speak. His purpose is to assist a brand new technology of smart thinkers and good leaders; who with curiosity, understanding and resilience create an enduring impression on the world. In doing so, they – you – will encourage others to guide with integrity too.
Doing the Proper Factor, As a result of It Is the Proper Factor to Do
Because the clock resets and the brand new 12 months begins, we regularly mirror on the paths we’ve walked and the journeys that lie forward. In our apply, this introspection results in a guiding query: what sort of impression can we want to have as medical professionals and as human beings? This 12 months, our reply is anchored in a easy but profound precept: doing the precise factor as a result of it’s the proper factor to do.
This theme isn’t just a lofty preferrred however a compass guiding {our relationships} with sufferers, colleagues, and ourselves. It’s rooted in timeless knowledge and sensible utility, reflecting the stoic philosophy that reminds us that true fulfilment lies in residing with integrity, serving others, and aligning our actions with our values.
The Knowledge of the Compass: Doing What Is Proper
Think about for a second a mariner misplaced at sea, surrounded by infinite horizons of water. Even essentially the most skilled sailors can not discover their manner with out a compass. The compass, unwavering and regular, factors true north — a easy software that holds the ability to save lots of a life.
In our day by day lives, our ideas function our inside compass. They anchor us in stormy seas and hold us from drifting into complacency or compromise. “Doing the precise factor” is our true north, a reminder to behave with honour even when the waters are tough, or nobody else is watching.
In our apply, this interprets into each choice we make, from how we information sufferers by their therapeutic journeys to how we work together as a crew. It means recommending therapies based mostly not on comfort or revenue however on what genuinely advantages the affected person. It means educating, supporting, and empowering others to make selections that align with their finest pursuits, not only for the quick time period however for a lifetime.
Empowering Sufferers By way of Training
Our dedication to doing the precise factor goes hand in hand with equipping our sufferers to do the identical. Training is the bridge that transforms uncertainty into confidence and empowers people to take possession of their well being.
Let me illustrate this with an instance. Image a gardener tending to a tree. The gardener’s function is to not develop the tree for it however to create the precise circumstances — offering fertile soil, enough water, and daylight — so the tree can thrive by itself. Equally, as medical professionals, we offer the instruments, steering, and sources, however it’s in the end as much as the affected person to nurture their very own well being and therapeutic.
As an illustration, when a affected person involves us with a wound, it isn’t sufficient for us to deal with the bodily harm. We should additionally assist them perceive the “why” and “how” behind their care. Why does common dressing change matter? How does correct diet assist restoration? Training is our manner of planting seeds of understanding and resilience, making certain that sufferers can navigate their well being journeys lengthy after they go away our care.
Stoic Knowledge in Motion
Stoicism teaches us that our actions, not circumstances, outline our character. Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Waste no extra time arguing about what a great man needs to be. Be one.” This precept resonates deeply with our theme. Doing the precise factor usually requires braveness and self-discipline, primarily when the simpler path appears tempting.
Take, for instance, a affected person looking for an elective process for the unsuitable causes—maybe chasing fleeting magnificence relatively than addressing an underlying concern. It is likely to be easier to accommodate their request, however it could not be proper. As an alternative, the more durable, extra moral course is to have an sincere dialog, guiding them to know their true motivations and make selections aligned with their well-being.
As a crew, we maintain ourselves accountable to those requirements, difficult one another to stay steadfast in our values. Whether or not it’s Sr. Beryl’s meticulous wound care, Amori’s dedication to making sure a seamless affected person expertise, or my function in offering readability and counsel, a shared dedication to this precept unites us.
The Ripple Impact of Integrity
One of the crucial lovely facets of doing the precise factor is its ripple impact. Acts of integrity encourage others to behave with integrity. Sufferers who see the care and thoughtfulness in how we deal with them are sometimes impressed to method their very own lives with larger mindfulness and compassion.
This ripple impact extends past the confines of our apply. Sufferers empowered to care for his or her wounds correctly might share their information with a member of the family dealing with an identical problem. A colleague who witnesses our crew’s dedication might carry that very same ethos into their apply. The impression grows, usually in methods we can not foresee.
Sensible Steps for the 12 months Forward
As we embark on this 12 months’s journey, listed here are some sensible methods we will all embrace the precept of “doing the precise factor” in our day by day lives:
Pause and Replicate: Earlier than making a choice, take a second to ask your self: Is that this the precise factor to do, or merely the simplest or most handy?
Search Data: Equip your self with the knowledge wanted to make knowledgeable selections. Whether or not it’s understanding the therapy choices or the long-term impression of a life-style change, information is energy.
Lead by Instance: Be an instance of integrity in your private {and professional} life. Others usually discover inspiration in actions relatively than phrases.
Apply Gratitude and Persistence: Doing the precise factor shouldn’t be at all times rewarded instantly. Belief that residing with integrity brings its personal rewards, even when they take time to materialise.
Keep Grounded in Objective: When challenges come up, return to your “why.” Keep in mind what drives you and let that information your actions.
Wanting Forward
As we journey by this 12 months, allow us to attempt not for perfection however for goal. Allow us to select integrity over comfort, knowledge over expedience, and compassion over indifference. Collectively, as a crew and a group, we will create an surroundings the place doing the precise factor is a precept and a lifestyle.
Let me go away you with a quote from C.S.Lewis that captures the guts of our theme: “Integrity is doing the precise factor, even when nobody is watching.” Could it encourage us to navigate the 12 months forward with braveness, conviction, and compassion.
Heat regards,
Dr. Dehan Struwig & The Workforce: Sr. Beryl Mouton & Amori
