SUS Presidential Session: Britney Corey, MD
Finding Joy and Purpose in Educating
The final speaker in the SUS Presidential Session was Dr. Britney Corey. Dr Corey gave a beautiful description of her journey as an educator over the last 4 years. She is always looking for FLOW, which is a state of optimal experience. In the state of FLOW, you are being challenged and you have the skills to meet these needs.
She described surgical training as a ruthless taskmaster that needs you all the time and can have a very ugly side. Her passion was to support the medical student and residents through this journey.
As she started her career she was getting crushed by the complications, and what she loved doing started to taste like dust. The wise words of Dr. Nina Terry resonated with her “It is not the work-it’s the worry.”
Education is where she found her PERMA model of well- being – 5 elements of happiness:
Positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, accomplishment
Her formula for becoming a surgeon educator is acquiring additional training specific to education, getting involved in educational research and on local/national education committees, and a leadership who support educational initiatives.
She recommended that we all let what energizes us guide us, because it will give us purpose that will carry us through our patients’ complications. Her leaving a little part of herself in every learner is what energizes her.