I started to study medicine to do something that makes sense, to do something good. I then did what a student does. I partied, got new friends and traveled. But finally I had to start working. What I found, working in my first hospital, was not what I expected. Tagging a diagnosis correctly with a code and treating as many patients as possible seemed to be more important than actually helping people. Many times I closed a patients door the patient raising a hand like a customer in a restaurant asking for attention. It was awful, sometimes nurses against physicians. I learned to leave the patient, feeling grief and deep anger for the people who forced me to work this way. The following years I worked in six different hospitals, private and public, in search for a working ecosystem that does not burn out its people. Even after I got my board certification in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Hand Surgery and Emergency Medicine and climbed the ladder I did not find it.
I took a break and found a solution after all. One that already existed but not really in my profession. The world that opened up for me was about #newwork, #teal business ideas and #futureofwork. Those are cooperation designs that fit perfectly well into healthcare. Here people have a high intrinsic motivation to do stuff that matters right from the start. Highly motivated I did a brilliant coaching with futureyou, courses in self-management, E-health, story-telling, took part in Working out Loud circles and read a lot of books. I realized that change is possible and I will try to make that change in order to cultivate a better working environment for health professionals and for future generations.
At the moment I am involved in several projects to serve that goal, exchanging ideas with people in academia, and working in healthcare businesses. It already feels great! If you are interested, feel free to contact me.
I am still working as a Plastic and Aesthetic Surgeon of course. Several times a year I teach physicians as a trainer for the Allergan Medical Institute. The participants are taught the aesthetic treatment with botulinum toxin A and hyaluronic acids according to the MD Codes™ from Mauricio de Maio. In this context I took part in the exclusive Allergan Mentee Program, a one-to-one training with Mauricio de Maio. Apart from this a was constantly trained by internationally renowned doctors and communication trainers and will continue to be a speaker for the Allergan Medical Institute.