performed a complete and polished work of choreography . When I moved from a pre-professional ballet program in high school to a competitive dance team in college , my process remained the same , but I acquired new tools as my repertoire expanded .
These opportunities to choreograph in high school and college helped me develop a creative eye and leadership skills at a young age . The role of choreographer provided my first chance to be a public speaker , a teacher , a problem solver and a decisionmaker with my peers . I cast my peers as soloists and corps de ballet . I communicated and demonstrated how to execute certain steps so they matched the vision in my mind . I adapted my original ideas to solve problems that I had not foreseen . Even though I did not venture down that path , I am incredibly grateful for those experiences .
Injuries are one of many factors that changed the course of my career from dance and choreography to ophthalmology , but my training in dance prepared me for a career in ophthalmology more than I ever could have expected . The mental and physical stamina needed for the learning and execution of adagio and grand allegro carries me through tough call nights . The balletic strive for perfection is mimicked when I ’ m repairing eyelid lacerations . The creativity and problem solving needed in choreography have been vital as my co-residents and I treat underserved patients in our community . These overlapping skills have been a lifeline as I progress through residency .
In my mind , a choreographer is analogous to a surgeon in the operating room . Just as choreographers require a team of dancers to execute the choreography , surgeons require a team of health care professionals in the operating room and clinic to ensure that the needs of their patients are met . Like every dancer on a stage , every surgical team member has an important role to fulfill in patient care , and it takes a good leader and surgeon to derive good patient outcomes .
It can be fun to daydream about the what-ifs in life , especially when it is 3 a . m . on a difficult call night and the other career you considered does not require overnight call shifts . Despite the lack of sleep some nights , what brings me back from the what-ifs are the whys . While I could have brought my choreographic vision to life in that alternate career , right now I can potentially preserve vision for my patients and thus preserve their normal lives , and that patient in the emergency room at 3 a . m . needs my help .
This essay was a submission to the 2024 Richard Spear , MD , Memorial Essay Contest .
Dr . Dugan is a PGY-3 resident in the University of Louisville School of Medicine , Department of Ophthalmology .
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