Getting more bettererer . . . ???!!!!

What if you were the best surgeon in the world? OK, let's make it more realistic. Let's say that you were one of the most competent, decorated, esteemed surgeons in your hospital? Let's say that you were so good at what you do that some professional organization, an organization recognizing your competence, decorations, and esteemed skills, wanted you to come speak at their national convention? Wouldn't that be great?

What also, if that same organization wanted to PAY you a small speaking stipend for your troubles? Even better, right? Depends on your audience, you might say?

Well, what if your audience was 900 of the other competent, decorated, esteemed surgeons from all around the nation, and each of them was also scheduled to speak for a fee.

As a competent, decorated, esteemed professional, would you feel honored to be so selected to participate in such an event? Would you go into the event thinking that you had nothing to learn from these other 899 competent, decorated, esteemed professionals?Would your hospital be so proud and excited for you that they give you a ceremonial send off party, complete with brass band and hours dourves?

OK, fast forward now to AFTER attending the event (you DID accept, right?) Was your hospital proud of your selection and of your representation of their small corner of the world? Did they welcome you back with eager open arms waiting to hear and learn of your exploits? Would your colleagues and hospital administrators be excited to learn what you've learned? Would they embrace your new-found insight into the collective expertise of America's best? Would they be inspired by the new level of care you can bring to your patients through your honorable experience?

All these questions are simple rhetorical questions for the simple reason that they are not intended to actually be answered. Why? (rhetorical again). Simply because anyone would be foolish to answer in any way but the affirmative. These are all GOOD, if not GREAT things that all contribute to an organization, if not the human race, moving forward in the right direction. They encompass the Korpi motto of "Learn a lot, Love a lot, Laugh a lot." Pride, honor, dedication, discipline, integrity, and duty all wrapped up into one. The right, noble, and honorable thing to do.

OK, here's the catch.

Imagine now that when you get back for your esteemed conference that you are met with indifference and unceremonious apathy and aloofness, not by colleagues, but bythe hospital administrators, those required to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s on the paper work, the same people in charge of requisitions, taxes, and utility bills that run amok because of all the hot water required to clean and sterilize the hospital laundry. Their opinion doesn't matter, right? Well, to a professional surgeon like you, the solicitudes of the bureaucracy shouldn't effect (or affect) your role as a surgeon. But this is NOT how it works.

In fact, getting caught up in running a business has taken priority over the actual business.

Let's say that the hospital requires 18 hours of professional development hours from ALL its professionals, as ALL good hospitals should. But let's also say that your hospital, after reviewing the specifics of your tremendously honorable, learning, professional experience, then say that you have to earn your 18 hours through some other, local, less valuable, "experience" that the one from which you just so recently and euphorically returned.

Their rationale? You attended as an expert, and so had nothing to gain from a week-long, intensive, communal seminar with the other 899 experts from around the nation. Moreover, because you received a stipend for your efforts (and recognition), the hours are "fruit of the poisonous" tree on the official books. Instead, what you are forced to do is attend 3 6-hour Saturday sessions away from your family sitting in the hospital board room listen to a non-surgeon administrator-type talk to you about the "color of your balloon," "how to talk to your patients while under general anesthesia," and "how to properly document in triplicate the hours earned while learning how to document them" all in the name of making you "better" at your profession, and in the "best interest" of your patients.

Yes.

Imagine that!!!!!!


Thank God that is only hypothetical, right? Irrational, illogical decisions don't happen in the real world, do they?