… But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed,
Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter,
I am no prophet — and here’s no great matter;
I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,
And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
And in short, I was afraid. …
Excerpted from The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock, by T. S. Eliot
An interprofessional group of students gathered for Truthful Tuesday: An Interprofessional Imperfection Session. After a poetry reading (The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot) intended to ground the session in shared humanity and human fallibility, panelists offered stories that reflected the theme of “vulnerability.”
Dr. Jacqueline Barnett, Duke PA Division Chief and Program Director, framed the discussion before sharing her story. Noting that trauma, shame and blame are all destabilizing factors that tend to decrease a sense of community and belonging, Dr. Barnett advised that community is a prerequisite for vulnerability. She advised attendees to recognize that, whether internally or externally derived, the maladaptive thoughts (including “I’m not good enough”) are destructive, and she related that she has always benefited from “staying honest and authentic to myself.”
Acknowledging that speaking from the heart in a group of multidisciplinary learners might be intimidating, Dr. Leonor Corsino, endocrinologist, health equity champion and researcher, and MD Program Advisory Dean, shared two anecdotes that illustrated the importance of being genuine with her patients and others in the healthcare environment while also being mindful of the overall goals of the domain and maintaining patient care as the most important priority.
Educator and mentor in the Masters of Biomedical Sciences Program Dr. Kiani Gardner suggested consideration of the possibility that “it’s not vulnerability if you are not under attack” and talking of the importance of values congruence in work and life. “No matter what I do or what I say, if I am true to my values, no one can lay me low.” She advised participants to deeply consider the following three questions on a regular basis to help discern their own deep purpose and values: 1) What gives you joy? 2) What was your challenge? 3) What did you dread (and why?)?
Director of Student Affairs for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, Dr. Jeffrey Hoder shared insights into the moments he realized, during his training and practice, “It’s not about you.” He spoke of the healing importance of authentic human connection and advised participants to remember the importance of curiosity, stating, “You only learn when you listen.”
A few selected pearls from Truthful Tuesday:
- Not everyone will be accepting of who you are authentically
- Connection and community are important prerequisites to authenticity
- Authenticity does not have to be vulnerable if it is not under attack
- It takes time in a relationship to become one’s authentic self
- It is important to read the room!
- There may be times when the goals and values of the subculture are not conducive to deep sharing
- Sometimes, deep sharing is at odds with the immediate task at hand
At the conclusion of the 90-minute session, panelists and students lingered to discuss poignant themes. As one student put it, “It was a gift to see the humanity in our leadership.”
Big thanks to Drs. Barnett, Corsino, Gardner and Hoder for their time and deep commitment to creating community and building connections through participating in the Imperfection Session and in their everyday work. Special thanks to members of the MD Wellness Committee, especially Anna Kulawiec with help from Katie Freedy and Ananya Gupta, for expanding the Imperfection Sessions to invite an interprofessional audience and panel.
