nov edition of quo vadis

1
Quo Vadis? The “Quo Vadis?” feature will allow young scientists (40 years of age and younger) the opportunity to express their opinions on the future of laboratory medicine. Below are select responses. How do you balance work and family life? “One approach that works for me is to de- velop hobbies unrelated to work, such as ball- room dancing, knitting, mixed martial arts, reading, skiing, and tennis. These activities re- quire so much attention that they totally take my mind off work. Another approach is to have a Zen moment in my ‘Lady Lounge’ to reconnect with myself and rejuvenate my spirit so that I can be effective and productive when I return to the office. Those moments when I sense I have achieved balance are when I feel complete and at peace with myself.” —Yan Zhang, Rochester, NY “To balance work and family life, I rely heavily on my husband’s support. We plan our schedules so that one of us is always at home with the kids. Our kids are on a schedule so that each weekday is somehow predictable; this helps with time management and eases our work flow. However, we are flexible and ready to help each other out when plans change. We understand the importance of working together as a team and making each moment as a family count.” —Brenda B. Suh-Lailam, Salt Lake City, UT “Work life balance is a see-saw. We try fu- riously to balance on the fulcrum between work and family life but success is rare. At times your family life weighs heavily and the see-saw tips in favor of spending more time with family. At other times your career will tip the balance the other way. When I catch myself thinking about work during family time I force myself to be present in the moment and I shift farther back in the see-saw seat to try to tip that balance back to center.” —Mark A. Cervinski, Lebanon, NH “It is important to ‘let go’ at the right time, i.e. don’t carry your work home or your problems on the home front to your work- place. Only then can you give 100% at both places.” —Moushumi Lodh, Kolkata, India “When I was in medical school, someone once said, ‘You must first take care of yourself be- fore you can take care of your patients.’ To me, this includes not only physical health, but also emo- tional, mental, and spiritual health. I try to leave work at work, but things can get crazy. When they do, my family keeps me going. Even if I have to literally ‘schedule’ movie night with my husband or make a five minute phone call to my mother while I’m walking to a meeting, I make time for them. My family makes me a better doctor.” —Amanda O. Fisher-Hubbard, Ann Arbor, MI DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2012.195859 Question #8 How do you deal with stress? E-MAIL YOUR ANSWER AND A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOURSELF TO: [email protected] Answers must be submitted by November 19, 2012. Please include your full name and address with all submissions. Quo Vadis? Clinical Chemistry 58:11 (2012) 1611

Upload: moushumi-lodh

Post on 17-Jul-2015

83 views

Category:

Health & Medicine


1 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: nov  edition of quo vadis

Quo Vadis?

The “Quo Vadis?” feature will allow young scientists (40 years of age and younger) the opportunity to express theiropinions on the future of laboratory medicine. Below are select responses.

How do you balance work and family life?

“One approach that works for me is to de-velop hobbies unrelated to work, such as ball-room dancing, knitting, mixed martial arts,reading, skiing, and tennis. These activities re-quire so much attention that they totally take mymind off work. Another approach is to have aZen moment in my ‘Lady Lounge’ to reconnectwith myself and rejuvenate my spirit so that Ican be effective and productive when I return tothe office. Those moments when I sense I haveachieved balance are when I feel complete and atpeace with myself.” —Yan Zhang, Rochester, NY

“To balance work and family life, I relyheavily on my husband’s support. We plan ourschedules so that one of us is always at homewith the kids. Our kids are on a schedule so thateach weekday is somehow predictable; this helpswith time management and eases our work flow.However, we are flexible and ready to help eachother out when plans change. We understandthe importance of working together as a teamand making each moment as a family count.”—Brenda B. Suh-Lailam, Salt Lake City, UT

“Work life balance is a see-saw. We try fu-riously to balance on the fulcrum between workand family life but success is rare. At times yourfamily life weighs heavily and the see-saw tips infavor of spending more time with family. Atother times your career will tip the balance theother way. When I catch myself thinking aboutwork during family time I force myself to bepresent in the moment and I shift farther back inthe see-saw seat to try to tip that balance back tocenter.” —Mark A. Cervinski, Lebanon, NH

“It is important to ‘let go’ at the righttime, i.e. don’t carry your work home or yourproblems on the home front to your work-place. Only then can you give 100% at bothplaces.” —Moushumi Lodh, Kolkata, India

“When I was in medical school, someoneonce said, ‘You must first take care of yourself be-fore you can take care of your patients.’ To me, thisincludes not only physical health, but also emo-tional, mental, and spiritual health. I try to leavework at work, but things can get crazy. When theydo, my family keeps me going. Even if I have toliterally ‘schedule’ movie night with my husbandor make a five minute phone call to my motherwhile I’m walking to a meeting, I make time forthem. My family makes me a better doctor.”—Amanda O. Fisher-Hubbard, Ann Arbor, MI

DOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2012.195859

Question #8How do you deal with stress?

E-MAIL YOUR ANSWER AND A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOURSELF TO:[email protected]

Answers must be submitted by November 19, 2012. Please include your full name andaddress with all submissions.

Quo Vadis?

Clinical Chemistry 58:11 (2012) 1611