so Anthony de Mello once said look for competence and not claims a claim is
competence and not claims a claim is
competence and not claims a claim is something that said so usually without
something that said so usually without
something that said so usually without any evidence
any evidence
any evidence well competence is the ability to do
well competence is the ability to do
well competence is the ability to do something successfully and efficiently
something successfully and efficiently
something successfully and efficiently personally I take this to mean that you
personally I take this to mean that you
personally I take this to mean that you should aim to do your job
should aim to do your job
should aim to do your job competently rather than claim or argue
competently rather than claim or argue
competently rather than claim or argue do it well people tend to say let my
do it well people tend to say let my
do it well people tend to say let my work speak for itself and that in its
work speak for itself and that in its
work speak for itself and that in its entirety is what I take Anthony to mean
entirety is what I take Anthony to mean
entirety is what I take Anthony to mean so that’s what I’m here to talk to you
so that’s what I’m here to talk to you
so that’s what I’m here to talk to you about today competence competence
about today competence competence
about today competence competence not only key to a long fulfilling life
not only key to a long fulfilling life
not only key to a long fulfilling life but it’s key in any profession
but it’s key in any profession
but it’s key in any profession competence can be the difference between
competence can be the difference between
competence can be the difference between mediocrity and excellence the difference
mediocrity and excellence the difference
mediocrity and excellence the difference between professionalism and ignorance
between professionalism and ignorance
between professionalism and ignorance the difference even between life and
the difference even between life and
the difference even between life and death the difference between and a life
death the difference between and a life
death the difference between and a life spent in poor health it’s quite easy to
spent in poor health it’s quite easy to
spent in poor health it’s quite easy to see Oh
see Oh
see Oh crucial competence is to the well-being
crucial competence is to the well-being
crucial competence is to the well-being of mankind now the matter in question
of mankind now the matter in question
of mankind now the matter in question came about to me through my ambition
came about to me through my ambition
came about to me through my ambition which is medicine a field where
which is medicine a field where
which is medicine a field where competence could be the factor that
competence could be the factor that
competence could be the factor that holds a life at its precipice that tips
holds a life at its precipice that tips
holds a life at its precipice that tips the scale when fighting the battle
the scale when fighting the battle
the scale when fighting the battle between life and death now I’ve got a
between life and death now I’ve got a
between life and death now I’ve got a story to help you understand what I’m
story to help you understand what I’m
story to help you understand what I’m trying to say so this is me when I was 3
trying to say so this is me when I was 3
trying to say so this is me when I was 3 years old and of course it wouldn’t be
years old and of course it wouldn’t be
years old and of course it wouldn’t be reasonable for me to say that I had
reasonable for me to say that I had
reasonable for me to say that I had thoughts about competence in medicine at
thoughts about competence in medicine at
thoughts about competence in medicine at such a young age but this particular
such a young age but this particular
such a young age but this particular memory left its mark on me in more than
memory left its mark on me in more than
memory left its mark on me in more than one way and you soon see why so one day
one way and you soon see why so one day
one way and you soon see why so one day I was rushed to the accident and
I was rushed to the accident and
I was rushed to the accident and emergency units because I was bleeding
emergency units because I was bleeding
emergency units because I was bleeding quite severely due to a laceration on my
quite severely due to a laceration on my
quite severely due to a laceration on my head
head
head more specifically my right eyebrow was
more specifically my right eyebrow was
more specifically my right eyebrow was split open see the actual lead-up to
split open see the actual lead-up to
split open see the actual lead-up to that event is still a blurry commotion
that event is still a blurry commotion
that event is still a blurry commotion of images I was three
of images I was three
of images I was three but according to my parents I was a very
but according to my parents I was a very
but according to my parents I was a very clumsy child I tripped and I went
clumsy child I tripped and I went
clumsy child I tripped and I went face-first into the ledge of my bedroom
face-first into the ledge of my bedroom
face-first into the ledge of my bedroom door but according to my three-year-old
door but according to my three-year-old
door but according to my three-year-old self the door attacked me so believe
self the door attacked me so believe
self the door attacked me so believe what you will after such a experience
what you will after such a experience
what you will after such a experience you’d think that nothing could be more
you’d think that nothing could be more
you’d think that nothing could be more dumbfounding but yet again I was proven
dumbfounding but yet again I was proven
dumbfounding but yet again I was proven wrong because I was made to sit in the
wrong because I was made to sit in the
wrong because I was made to sit in the ER for over two hours without any pain
ER for over two hours without any pain
ER for over two hours without any pain medication because the doctor on call
medication because the doctor on call
medication because the doctor on call wasn’t present at the ward and I
wasn’t present at the ward and I
wasn’t present at the ward and I remember during my fits of tears that
remember during my fits of tears that
remember during my fits of tears that seemed endless at the time thinking how
seemed endless at the time thinking how
seemed endless at the time thinking how could this happen how could someone even
could this happen how could someone even
could this happen how could someone even allow this to happen and as you can
allow this to happen and as you can
allow this to happen and as you can imagine the year was filled with many
imagine the year was filled with many
imagine the year was filled with many other cases that needed immediate
other cases that needed immediate
other cases that needed immediate attention but what did they get a whole
attention but what did they get a whole
attention but what did they get a whole load of incompetence with no doctors on
load of incompetence with no doctors on
load of incompetence with no doctors on the side yes it was a mess and what made
the side yes it was a mess and what made
the side yes it was a mess and what made it even worse was the fact that I came
it even worse was the fact that I came
it even worse was the fact that I came from a long line of doctors to our GPS
from a long line of doctors to our GPS
from a long line of doctors to our GPS and one is a double consultant so I had
and one is a double consultant so I had
and one is a double consultant so I had the privilege of observing what the
the privilege of observing what the
the privilege of observing what the ideal doctor-patient relationship was
ideal doctor-patient relationship was
ideal doctor-patient relationship was which was with mutual respect and the
which was with mutual respect and the
which was with mutual respect and the highest standard of care and decorum not
highest standard of care and decorum not
highest standard of care and decorum not only expressed by the doctor but every
only expressed by the doctor but every
only expressed by the doctor but every individual in his or hers effectively
individual in his or hers effectively
individual in his or hers effectively working team but that obviously wasn’t
working team but that obviously wasn’t
working team but that obviously wasn’t the case in my story the doctor
the case in my story the doctor
the case in my story the doctor eventually made his appearance and he
eventually made his appearance and he
eventually made his appearance and he stood up my eyebrow I didn’t have an
stood up my eyebrow I didn’t have an
stood up my eyebrow I didn’t have an eyebrow for months so you can imagine
eyebrow for months so you can imagine
eyebrow for months so you can imagine the jokes and as most of my friends know
the jokes and as most of my friends know
the jokes and as most of my friends know I can’t raise an eyebrow having to so
I can’t raise an eyebrow having to so
I can’t raise an eyebrow having to so trying to raise one with one well that
trying to raise one with one well that
trying to raise one with one well that was an interesting experience so now all
was an interesting experience so now all
was an interesting experience so now all I have to show for that bad memory was a
I have to show for that bad memory was a
I have to show for that bad memory was a gap in between my eyebrow looking back
gap in between my eyebrow looking back
gap in between my eyebrow looking back at that experience it was crystal clear
at that experience it was crystal clear
at that experience it was crystal clear even to my three-year-old self that
even to my three-year-old self that
even to my three-year-old self that patients didn’t deserve to be treated
patients didn’t deserve to be treated
patients didn’t deserve to be treated the way that I was and from that day
the way that I was and from that day
the way that I was and from that day forth my interest in medicine gradually
forth my interest in medicine gradually
forth my interest in medicine gradually heightened especially in terms of
heightened especially in terms of
heightened especially in terms of doctor/patient relationships I felt that
doctor/patient relationships I felt that
doctor/patient relationships I felt that they that day was a great injustice
they that day was a great injustice
they that day was a great injustice these people these people who were in
these people these people who were in
these people these people who were in severe pain had minimum care I still
severe pain had minimum care I still
severe pain had minimum care I still care I still care that that age as well
care I still care that that age as well
care I still care that that age as well that these people could have been
that these people could have been
that these people could have been relieved of their pain at a much earlier
relieved of their pain at a much earlier
relieved of their pain at a much earlier date if more doctors were signed to that
date if more doctors were signed to that
date if more doctors were signed to that would or the doctor who was supposed to
would or the doctor who was supposed to
would or the doctor who was supposed to be there was so I realized to stop this
be there was so I realized to stop this
be there was so I realized to stop this reality from reoccurring we cannot
reality from reoccurring we cannot
reality from reoccurring we cannot tolerate this incompetence this lack of
tolerate this incompetence this lack of
tolerate this incompetence this lack of standards and care while all of this is
standards and care while all of this is
standards and care while all of this is very important
very important
very important it’s also quite obvious I mean if a
it’s also quite obvious I mean if a
it’s also quite obvious I mean if a three-year-old can figure out that
three-year-old can figure out that
three-year-old can figure out that there’s something lacking in the ER
there’s something lacking in the ER
there’s something lacking in the ER apart from the doctor it’s safe to say
apart from the doctor it’s safe to say
apart from the doctor it’s safe to say that it doesn’t take a genius to figure
that it doesn’t take a genius to figure
that it doesn’t take a genius to figure out how crucial competence is now
out how crucial competence is now
out how crucial competence is now keeping that in mind I’d like to direct
keeping that in mind I’d like to direct
keeping that in mind I’d like to direct you to another form of competence one
you to another form of competence one
you to another form of competence one that is personal but still related to
that is personal but still related to
that is personal but still related to health care and well-being do you ever
health care and well-being do you ever
health care and well-being do you ever think about your health if you do if you
think about your health if you do if you
think about your health if you do if you think about your lifestyle your habits
think about your lifestyle your habits
think about your lifestyle your habits your diet chances are you’re taking care
your diet chances are you’re taking care
your diet chances are you’re taking care of yourself competently competence is
of yourself competently competence is
of yourself competently competence is crucial especially in medicine and I
crucial especially in medicine and I
crucial especially in medicine and I can’t stress how important it is let’s
can’t stress how important it is let’s
can’t stress how important it is let’s imagine two people one who chooses to
imagine two people one who chooses to
imagine two people one who chooses to take care of themselves and does it well
take care of themselves and does it well
take care of themselves and does it well and one who doesn’t really care for
and one who doesn’t really care for
and one who doesn’t really care for themselves physically you can compare
themselves physically you can compare
themselves physically you can compare and contrast the qualities of life
and contrast the qualities of life
and contrast the qualities of life before I leave I want to know that I’m
before I leave I want to know that I’m
before I leave I want to know that I’m leaving you convinced so I wanted to
leaving you convinced so I wanted to
leaving you convinced so I wanted to introduce you to someone who I met
introduce you to someone who I met
introduce you to someone who I met during my work experience placement in
during my work experience placement in
during my work experience placement in December of 2015 I hope that this story
December of 2015 I hope that this story
December of 2015 I hope that this story reiterates the fragility of life and
reiterates the fragility of life and
reiterates the fragility of life and makes you take your health more
makes you take your health more
makes you take your health more seriously as well as keeping in mind
seriously as well as keeping in mind
seriously as well as keeping in mind competence so during the last day of my
competence so during the last day of my
competence so during the last day of my work experience placement I was assigned
work experience placement I was assigned
work experience placement I was assigned to the renal care unit also known as the
to the renal care unit also known as the
to the renal care unit also known as the dialysis unit it’s for people who are
dialysis unit it’s for people who are
dialysis unit it’s for people who are not comfortable or knowledgeable about
not comfortable or knowledgeable about
not comfortable or knowledgeable about the medical term it’s to do with
the medical term it’s to do with
the medical term it’s to do with patients who have forms of kidney
patients who have forms of kidney
patients who have forms of kidney failure
failure
failure so I observed two types of patients one
so I observed two types of patients one
so I observed two types of patients one who rejected the kidney transplant and
who rejected the kidney transplant and
who rejected the kidney transplant and ones who were at a stage where the
ones who were at a stage where the
ones who were at a stage where the kidney transplant would not be
kidney transplant would not be
kidney transplant would not be beneficial to them at all due to
beneficial to them at all due to
beneficial to them at all due to confidentiality reasons
confidentiality reasons
confidentiality reasons I can’t reveal the patients name so for
I can’t reveal the patients name so for
I can’t reveal the patients name so for name sake let’s call him Arthur Arthur
name sake let’s call him Arthur Arthur
name sake let’s call him Arthur Arthur was an 85 year old man who had been
was an 85 year old man who had been
was an 85 year old man who had been attending this hospital for over a
attending this hospital for over a
attending this hospital for over a decade for renal care and that’s because
decade for renal care and that’s because
decade for renal care and that’s because both of his kidneys were failing and
both of his kidneys were failing and
both of his kidneys were failing and without getting into specifics the
without getting into specifics the
without getting into specifics the treatment and tells a machine that
treatment and tells a machine that
treatment and tells a machine that access your kidneys and it’s attached to
access your kidneys and it’s attached to
access your kidneys and it’s attached to the body via internal and external tubes
the body via internal and external tubes
the body via internal and external tubes it’s a four-hour process where the
it’s a four-hour process where the
it’s a four-hour process where the monitor monitors your blood level but
monitor monitors your blood level but
monitor monitors your blood level but oxygenation levels as well as the whole
oxygenation levels as well as the whole
oxygenation levels as well as the whole dialysis it’s a four-hour process I sat
dialysis it’s a four-hour process I sat
dialysis it’s a four-hour process I sat next to him with his staff and he told
next to him with his staff and he told
next to him with his staff and he told me how his cost of living had severely
me how his cost of living had severely
me how his cost of living had severely depleted due to the fact that the
depleted due to the fact that the
depleted due to the fact that the treatment itself is costly the hospital
treatment itself is costly the hospital
treatment itself is costly the hospital had given him a grant but that surely
had given him a grant but that surely
had given him a grant but that surely depleted after a while and now he’s
depleted after a while and now he’s
depleted after a while and now he’s having to pay out of his own pocket so
having to pay out of his own pocket so
having to pay out of his own pocket so he barely has enough money to afford the
he barely has enough money to afford the
he barely has enough money to afford the basic necessities of life and the staff
basic necessities of life and the staff
basic necessities of life and the staff told me how being bedridden and cold and
told me how being bedridden and cold and
told me how being bedridden and cold and fragile had made him look regretful and
fragile had made him look regretful and
fragile had made him look regretful and I know that not all of our medical
I know that not all of our medical
I know that not all of our medical issues arise from our decisions and
issues arise from our decisions and
issues arise from our decisions and actions but most of them do and what did
actions but most of them do and what did
actions but most of them do and what did the doctors have to say about that well
the doctors have to say about that well
the doctors have to say about that well they told me to stay strong to stay
they told me to stay strong to stay
they told me to stay strong to stay passionate and most importantly when the
passionate and most importantly when the
passionate and most importantly when the time comes as it inevitably inevitably
time comes as it inevitably inevitably
time comes as it inevitably inevitably will fight death to the door at the end
will fight death to the door at the end
will fight death to the door at the end of my conversation with Arthur he wished
of my conversation with Arthur he wished
of my conversation with Arthur he wished me the best of luck and he smiled and
me the best of luck and he smiled and
me the best of luck and he smiled and that was a defining moment for me the
that was a defining moment for me the
that was a defining moment for me the fact that this man who’s been through so
fact that this man who’s been through so
fact that this man who’s been through so much suffering had the strength to smile
much suffering had the strength to smile
much suffering had the strength to smile life is so fleeting yet so many of us
life is so fleeting yet so many of us
life is so fleeting yet so many of us take it for granted just because we
take it for granted just because we
take it for granted just because we choose to take care of ourselves
choose to take care of ourselves
choose to take care of ourselves incompetently competence does not apply
incompetently competence does not apply
incompetently competence does not apply just to our professions it applies to
just to our professions it applies to
just to our professions it applies to all aspects of our lives it affects our
all aspects of our lives it affects our
all aspects of our lives it affects our everyday life and everyone around us in
everyday life and everyone around us in
everyday life and everyone around us in the medical perspective this is how I
the medical perspective this is how I
the medical perspective this is how I see it someone who is ill is someone’s
see it someone who is ill is someone’s
see it someone who is ill is someone’s mother father brother sister son
mother father brother sister son
mother father brother sister son daughter a friend were all
daughter a friend were all
daughter a friend were all interconnected and it’s high time
interconnected and it’s high time
interconnected and it’s high time that we took advantage of this highly
that we took advantage of this highly
that we took advantage of this highly developing medical world and made our
developing medical world and made our
developing medical world and made our health our priority health professionals
health our priority health professionals
health our priority health professionals roles are to take care of the human race
roles are to take care of the human race
roles are to take care of the human race but we need to prioritize our health too
but we need to prioritize our health too
but we need to prioritize our health too it is your duty not only to yourself but
it is your duty not only to yourself but
it is your duty not only to yourself but to everyone else around you today be the
to everyone else around you today be the
to everyone else around you today be the vessel of that change start the domino
vessel of that change start the domino
vessel of that change start the domino effect and the rest of the world will
effect and the rest of the world will
effect and the rest of the world will follow
follow
follow life is short as it is don’t shorten it
life is short as it is don’t shorten it
life is short as it is don’t shorten it even further because of your own
even further because of your own
even further because of your own incompetence thank you
incompetence thank you
incompetence thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
Be First to Comment