BACK of the BOOK
Pulling Back the Curtain
We learned some words of wisdom ( and some surprising secrets ) about great minds in hematology .
“ My own view is that , while intelligence is needed , it is also highly overrated . I believe that whatever success you have in your career comes from hard work and dedication , as well as a little bit of good luck . Much of that has to do with the mentorship you receive early in your career .”
– David A . Williams , MD ( DECEMBER 2015 )
“ It ’ s important to enjoy your career , but it is also important to understand what your strengths and weaknesses are . When you are younger , you have to make difficult choices , but once you make that choice , don ’ t look back . Just go for it .”
– Bob Löwenberg , MD , PhD ( JANUARY 2016 )
“ The first person I interviewed with before medical school spent the entire time telling me why women did not belong in medical school , including that they would be taking a job away from a man . As we finished the interview he said , ‘ Well , I won ’ t hold it against you .’ I was nervous and scared , but anyone who knows me knows that I couldn ’ t let it go , so I said in a very meek voice , ‘ Well , that would be illegal , wouldn ’ t it ?’”
– Mary Horowitz , MD , MS ( FEBRUARY 2016 )
Most Popular Tweets
Here are the most popular Tweets from @ ASHClinicalNews :
1 . October 13 Head-to-head trial finds carfilzomib not superior to bortezomib in newly diagnosed patients with multiple # myeloma
2 . September 27 Great Strides in # CML Survivorship : Patients now have life expectancies approaching that of the general population # leukemia
3 . August 16 Cost Blindness : In a survey of docs ’ # ChoosingWisely knowledge , 28 % said they were “ too busy to worry about costs ”
“ Self-care is essential in humanistic medicine , as well . So , when I mentor people , I try to emphasize the need to set personal goals and add balance back to your life . For me , mentoring involves working with the whole person , not just that person ’ s career pathway .”
– Fred Schiffman , MD ( MARCH 2016 )
“ It ’ s such a privilege to be in medicine – caring for patients , conducting research , and trying to advance the field . I would love to transport myself into the future to 100 years from now to see how our daily lives and medicine will have changed . Thinking about all that has transpired in the last 100 years in hematology , I can only imagine what could be coming in the next 100 years .”
– Martin S . Tallman , MD ( APRIL 2016 )
“ When I was in my final year of medical school , I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma . My parents brought me to Stanford to see leaders in the field , Saul A . Rosenberg , MD , and Henry Kaplan , MD . Being a patient and undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma was a career-defining moment . I decided then that my calling was to train in the hematologic malignancies , conduct research in the field , and care for patients with these diseases . I didn ’ t know at the time that I would end up coming back to Stanford for the rest of my medical career , and that Dr . Rosenberg would become one of my most important mentors .”
– Ranjana Advani , MD ( MAY 2016 )
4 . June 28 Let ’ s get physical ! Study shows that exercise reduces risk of 13 cancer types , including # myeloma and # leukemia
“ Identify your talents early on – figure out what makes you happy and challenges you both professionally and personally . Is it the rigor of science , the art of medicine , a combination of both ? Where do you want to be in 10 years ? If introspection and mindfulness fail to answer this question , ask your spouse . He or she will set you straight .”
– Robert P . Gale , MD , PhD ( JUNE 2016 )
“ Medicine is not that different from reporting . As a reporter , my job was to dig for information to get to the truth of a story , and then to tell that story . As a doctor , I meet patients and their families , ask questions , and listen to their answers to figure out what they are going through . Physicians still have to tell a story , just to a slightly different audience .”
– Laura C . Michaelis , MD ( SEPTEMBER 2016 )
“ We don ’ t get to where we are without our teachers and our mentors . All I can hope is that I can do the same for a future generation of trainees . To be a good mentor , you have to lead by example and show that you care about your trainees . There ’ s not one specific formula , but , first and foremost , you have to love what you do and show enthusiasm for the research . Hopefully , through that , your mentees will be inspired .”
– Vincent Ho , MD ( NOVEMBER 2016 )
Read more about the leaders and innovators in hematology at ashclinicalnews . org / category / pulling-back-the-curtain .
Who should we talk to next ? Let us know at ashclinicalnews @ hematology . org .
5 . June 24 Want to increase your odds of getting published in a high-impact journal ? Accentuate the positive !
ASHClinicalNews . org ASH Clinical News
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