I would go on to say that for us to be able to admit the right students, the
ones who will serve, the ones who will best care for patients, we will have to
be able to take risks on some students. Some of these are academic risks because
the students have great character and determination and have not had the same
freedoms to focus their lives on high level academics. Some of these students
have had life shattering experiences that they are still trying to sort out.
Some had these before entering UNMC, others have had these recently. With the
right encouragement and counseling, these events can shape a better health
practitioner. Without the right resources, they will choose other pathways where
the personal risks are less and the rewards will be less as well, for them as
well as for us patients.
I might note that although we tend to talk in terms of resources, programs,
budgets, and dollars, it is really people that matter. Only people can care.
Obviously I think that you have the right people.
As a sidelight, when all is said and done in terms of medical errors, it is my
assertion that it will also boil down to having the right people. Preventing
errors is about caring and going the extra mile. Programs that attempt to
prevent errors and take away the numbers of caring people or the ability of
people to care efficiently and effectively will actually result in more medical
errors.
Demming said that quality is in the matrix of relationships. People who relate best will generate the best quality.
Robert C. Bowman, M.D.
Flaws in the Concept of Controllable Lifestyle