Summary Of Cowboys And Pit Crew By Atul Gawande

In his 2011 essay “Cowboys and Pit Crews,” Atul Gawande said, success in the face of “complexity [in medicine] requires group success.” This concept drives the way I want to practice medicine. Complexity is inherent to medicine. It requires a multifaceted, cooperative approach to ensure patient safety and care. Most recently, I saw this in a palliative care physician. We had a pediatric patient - the first in the area. The physician worked with family and other providers to ensure the patient was comfortable. Her approach to medicine echoes Gawande’s, and provides the foundation for my practice goals. The programs I am interested in have all similar characteristics – they are large, urban programs with a breadth of sub-specialties to expose

Their approach to the world, even in the face of terminal diagnoses, is tenacious and inspiring. I want nothing more than to simply be a part of that power. Medicine has the unique ability to save lives, but it can also be draining. Pediatrics is a juxtaposition of levity and critical thinking at the intersection of embryology, genetics, and physiology. Where else can I turn a gown into a Minion costume because a patient is scared of us as we walk in with masks and gowns on? The science of pediatric medicine drew me to the field, but the culture, the hope that it inspires, and the humanism is what keeps me

Medical inclusivity, as enacted via mandated health insurance, forces healthcare providers to work to find better ways to operationalize inclusion and accessibility. These changes are highlighting pieces of the old system that work and those that do not. As the tides shift towards coordination and cooperation, we have the creative room to develop new, better models of care. Pediatrics presents a rare opportunity, because it does not have the political action committees or billionaires of other specialties. It leaves innovation to practicing physicians. My goal is to enact positive, progressive changes in my community via implementation of small, but effective systemic changes. I will best fit in a program, like OHSU, that encourages resident involvement in system-based changes in the