To enjoy the first truly nice day in Boston the year (low 70’s, sunny) I went for a long bike ride. Since starting this film and the editing, I have not had taken the time I should and used to enjoy a real passion of min, cycling. So I jumped on my classic Eddie Merckx Scandium ride and battled the traffic of metro-Boston.
    On the ride I looked at my cyclo-computer (I am a techno-file) and saw that in about 3 years I have ridden nearly 20,000 miles and over 900 hours, all outdoors. Recently it has been more on the indoor trainer where I can combine my other passion, watching films.
    I first thought, “WOW, 900 hours, I could get a lot of editing done in that time.” Then I said, “900 hours times X amount of dollars equals…my movie would be paid for.” And this made me remember all the reasons why I love cycling. Sure it gets me fit and allows for the occasional sushi buffet. And it also gets me in the outdoors and lets me breath semi-fresh are. But mainly it clears my mind; it lets me feel free from all responsibility and becomes a sanctuary for my life. But mainly, it’s just fun, even when climbing cardiac arrest inducing climbs.
    Then I realized that the main reason why many physicians, including myself are dissatisfied with their medical careers. It’s just not fun any more. That has been stripped away by all the things that have nothing to do with caring for patients. Ruined by big business models, and legal harassments, and lost of respect and the pressures of perfection. You want to talk see anti-fun, come enjoy a busy day in the ER when there are no beds available and we are short staffed.

    So if you think people dedicate their lives to a profession simply for the money, think about my 900 hours, that I PAID thousands of dollars to enjoy (remember I am a techno-file). I contend that if we could make medicine fun again, get back the self-fulfillment, the intangible gains, we would have a stronger and happier physician workforce. Doctors that ultimately will provide better care for society.
Huh, fun at work, what a novel idea.

Ryan