ting the opioid epidemic while also safely administering and destigmatizing the prescription of pain medicine and controlled substances .
I then headed to UofL Health - Shelbyville Hospital where I shadowed Dr . Briones-Pryor and her team in the ICU . I will never be able to look at a hospital the same way after seeing the amount of administrative work this team completed on top of their rounds and patient care . I would love to have a third shadowing experience at an insurance company processing claims from an ICU !
Dr . Briones-Pryor has mastered efficient empathy . It was clear she had formed meaningful relationships with each patient , many of whom were only in the ICU for a short period . She deftly navigated her time to see and be with each patient , meet with and support her team and , yes , even to fully engage me . In preparing for the day , she made sure I knew to wear comfy shoes so I could keep up with her . I certainly got my steps in while observing this incredible team . I found myself intrigued to learn : what sustains them ? What keeps them well ? How do they prepare themselves mentally and physically ? The hospital is a fast-paced , exciting and energizing environment , but it also comes with disseminating difficult news , supporting people in crisis and an unpredictable schedule . Learning what brought some of these patients to the ER definitely had me thinking about my own mortality !
I was especially struck by the fact that applying their medical expertise is a small percentage of the daily tasks required by Dr . Briones-Pryor ’ s and Dr . Murphy ’ s jobs . I think many of us feel this , but witnessing how these two people navigated was very eye-opening for me . On one hand , seeing how their medical practices involved treating everyone as a whole human was inspiring and relieving . But on the other hand , seeing how much documentation and bureaucracy they delt with left me frustrated by how much our systems add more work and complexity , rather than alleviate it .
This experience left me wondering , how can we collectively work to reduce the barriers and red tape that affect our capacity to fully flourish ? And truly , how can we find the capacity to focus on this level of transformation – a level of transformation that ultimately leads to more capacity and wellness . Our jobs and daily lives come with obstacles and tasks that prevent us from being able to engage in this work more fully . This is where the intersection of art and wellness continues to motivate me in my career . I believe art has the power to raise awareness about critical issues of our time , demonstrate their complexity and nuance and leave us with new perspectives .
Through the connection made with Wear the White Coat , Dr . Murphy and his family attended a performance at Actors Theatre of Louisville where Emily is an Executive Producer .
Art incites dialogue , disrupts narratives and engages people in a future-oriented mindset . Being able to envision a different way of operating can lead to knowing how to achieve it .
The Wear the White Coat Experience mimicked an artistic experience for me . It was similar to how I feel leaving a thought-provoking play , movie or gallery exhibit . It expanded my learning , it clarified some of my misconceptions and assumptions and it increased my understanding of humanity . I got to spend two full days participating in a familiar field but from an entirely different perspective . I basically got to go backstage at the Murphy Pain Center and UofL Health - Shelbyville Hospital .
I not only want to engage in this experience again and have already recommended it to others , but I also want to explore connecting with other fields and find ways to invite people into aspects of theater-making that they might not readily have access to or even know exist . This experience has increased my consciousness around the power of witnessing other human beings and being part of something larger than myself .
As I was leaving the hospital , someone held the door open for me and said , “ Doctor ,” to which I nodded my head and was quickly out the door with my white coat catching the breeze as I bounced down the steps .
Emily Tarquin is the Executive Producer and Co-Director of Artistic Programming at Actors Theatre of Louisville and a member of the Wear the White Coat class of 2023 . ( non-member )
Interested in being a physician preceptor in this year ’ s Wear the White Coat class ? Contact Kathryn Vance at kathryn . vance @ glms . org for more information .
May 2024 19