FROM THE PRESIDENT
by VALERIE F . BRIONES-PRYOR , MD , MHA , SFHM , FACP
Medicine On My Terms
Mabuhay and happy spring ! It ’ s that time of year when the sun is shining more , the flowers are blooming and my daydreams of what I would do when I retire start to run rampant . It usually starts around spring break when we take our yearly trip to Florida to visit my in-laws , who are not only retired , but are snowbirds who winter in Florida during the cold Illinois months . Their major decisions of the day include to golf or not to golf and where they should day travel with their friends . Their social calendar is always full , and when we have our weekly Face- Time calls , they always have a story to share about their friends or a commentary on the Florida weather .
My other trigger for retirement daydreams is when I see the lottery billboards along the highway advertising the millions that I can win if I only play . My husband , Matthew , and I like to fantasize about winning the lottery and what we would do with the money . We always start with the things we would buy and places where we would travel , and he is always quick to say he would retire from his job . I am always hesitant to say the same .
In all honesty , I can ’ t really imagine my life without medicine . Granted , I don ’ t see myself working the way I do now forever , but I do look forward to a time when medicine is part of my life on my own terms . I see my retired colleagues enjoying their time with medicine on their own terms . During the height of COVID-19 , I had the opportunity to work at the mass vaccination site at Broadbent Arena with several retired physicians , all of whom felt the call to serve again when volunteers were needed to vaccinate our community . I could see the joy in their eyes at getting the chance to be on the frontlines again , albeit on their own terms and while sticking needles in the arms of people . I also have many colleagues who have slowed down from their active practice of medicine to take the time to serve during mission trips to other countries .
Hearing their stories and the joy in their voices as they share their experiences makes me wonder how medicine will continue in my own life once I am ready to do something different . The GLMS Foundation ’ s own Senior Physician Speaker Series brings retired physicians and colleagues together to discuss various topics , ranging from topics in medicine to just about any topic of interest . Their lively discussions and recollections of when they were still in active practice are sometimes more entertaining than the topic being presented . My own parents , my Dad the internist and my Mom the family practice doctor , still continue to practice medicine , but on their desired schedule , making sure they still have plenty of time to travel and to see their grandchildren .
And though I look forward to the day that I will be able to enjoy medicine on my own terms , I do have a fear of what I would do if I could not practice medicine anymore because I wasn ’ t able to physically or mentally . The question I struggle with the most regarding life after medicine is , if I am not practicing medicine , whether on my own terms or not , would I still consider myself a physician ?
The truth is , that as physicians , medicine is part of our being . It ’ s not something that disappears from our souls the moment we stop being active with it . We are always physicians , no matter where our paths lead . My hope is that we all are able to practice medicine on our own terms , whatever those terms may be . In the meantime , I ’ ll remember to enjoy and cherish all the good moments of my current practice , but I ’ ll still also daydream about winning the lottery – I just have to remember to buy the ticket .
* Mabuhay is a Filipino greeting meaning “ long life .”
Dr . Briones-Pryor is the Medical Director for the Hospital Medicine Service Line for UofL Health and is the Chief Medical Officer for UofL Health Shelbyville Hospital .
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