maintained by their bosses.”
Mull’s event was a rewarding day thanks to the dozens of phy-
sicians and office managers in attendance. The 2017 Leadership
Workshop is already in the works. Be on the lookout for more
information on how you and your office staff can participate in
the coming months!
NURTURING CURIOUS MINDS
As GLMS works to help physicians, those same doctors are reach-
ing out into the medical and business communities to create a vast
web of partnerships, tutelage and understanding. One of the most
rewarding ways in which our physicians touch the lives of Louisville
professionals was the acclaimed Wear the White Coat Experience,
partially funded by a grant from the GLMS Foundation.
This year, the program’s sixth, saw 25 of Louisville’s top physicians
paired with 25 community leaders from all walks of life. This pro-
gram provides an opportunity for local leaders to better understand
the day-to-day challenges of Louisville, Kentucky’s health care sys-
tem. Participants included state legislators, members of Louisville’s
Metro Council, business executives, media professionals, attorneys
and more. The program closed as it always does, with a special Post-
Op Dinner where attendees celebrated and shared one-of-a-kind
memories of their Wear the White Coat Experience.
“This is our favorite part of the program because we have allowed
you, as very important leaders in our community, to step inside
and have a look at the inner sanctum of the patient-physician
relationship. It’s a very special place,” said GLMS President Dr.
Roberts. “Our patients give us their trust, and we have extended
that trust to you in the hopes of exchanging ideas for improving
the health and well-being of the community and exploring any real
and perceived barriers.”
During the accounts, Senator Ernie Harris, who had been part-
nered with ophthalmologist and GLMS Treasurer Frank Burns, MD,
spoke. “I’ve been in the Senate for 32 years, and this is one of the
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LOUISVILLE MEDICINE
most rewarding things I’ve ever done. The dedication I experienced
was superb,” said Sen. Harris.
GLMS is also very excited to inform you that, for the first time
ever, Kentucky Educational Television (KET) filmed portions of
the program including a pair of physician shadowing experiences.
One episode followed Metro Council President, David Yates, as
he got a behind the scenes look at a day in the life of ER physician
Robert Couch, MD. The other featured Sara Cronan Spurlock,
JD, of Stites & Harbison, as she followed Mary Barry, MD, in her
Internal Medicine practice. The two shadowings are available for
viewing at video.ket.org/video/2365983495/. An upcoming episode
will showcase the entirety of the Wear the White Coat program. A
special thanks to GLMS Vice-President (soon to be President-Elect)
and host of KET’s Kentucky Health Wayne Tuckson, MD, and the
entire staff at KET for making these episodes possible. If you are
interested in serving on a non-profit board, visit the Center for
Non-profit Excellence website at www.cnpe.org.
We are beginning to see more members serving on non-profit and
other boards representing GLMS in the community. President John
Roberts, MD, hopes to continue to find ways for more physicians
to get involved in boards all over the city.
GLMS itself hosts several committees including the Bioethics
Committee which studies general ethical issues of medical practice
and the Senior Physicians Committee, which engages retired phy-
sicians once each month with unique public speakers.
Education is important. No physician would be practicing as
well today if it weren’t for the medical leaders who came before
them. With that responsibility resting on their shoulders, it’s no
surprise we see GLMS physicians reach out to medical students
and residents as mentors.
In late July, the University of Louisville School of Medicine wel-
comed the Class of 2020 during the annual White Coat Ceremony
where new white coats were provided with funding from GLMS
and placed on 156 incoming medical students by GLMS physicians.