Be Ready to Fail

Part 5 of #storytelling is “Be ready to fail.” As #doctors we avoid #failure at all costs. Yet the very basis of #science is #experimentation. What we publish in peer reviewed journals is …studies, experiments. We ensure we are putting out valid science by invoking “peers.”

Why do we lose this as we become doctors?

https://lnkd.in/emHW-UsB

Why? It is logical, in fact. Perfect scores get you into medical school. As an attending, you do not want to harm a patient. Feeling responsible for harm causes #moralinjury. There is also legal #liability.

As a physician, people’s trust in you matters. That is your “#personalbrand”, on one hand, but also has implications for perceptions about your #professionalism. “What will people think?” holds us back.

All of this drives out & suppresses your ability to try (unless we are certain we will not fail). Yet, to grow & expand, you must do new things you are not yet perfect at & were you need to take risks.

What is the answer?

Find ways to do “controlled experiments” where you have thought through risks (potential adverse outcomes) then mitigate those risks. Ensure that even if the experiment fails, there is no harm that comes from it, only learning.

Don’t do this alone. Have peers who review your plan before you implement it. For the full post on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6996873331329097728