There are a few words that I have run across that I really like. They capture a particular idea or perfectly embody a certain ethos. One particular example is the word, equanimity. When I first discovered this word, I was mesmerized by the way it represented the concept of bringing order from chaos. But more than just order, some sense of peace, harmony and rightness. Ever since, I have used that word as the guiding principle for how I try to run my Emergency Department.
Another such word is Arete. I don’t really remember the first time I encountered this word. But I was captured by its meaning. Arete is a Greek word that, translated in English, means excellence. However, like most English translations of foreign words, the whole lexigraphical context of the word is lost when utter this tri-syllabic English word, excellent.
But in the original Greek, this word is backed by centuries of human history and literary usage. It has been used to describe virtue, courage, strength or the totality of all that is exemplary. When I encountered this word, I decided that I needed to use Arete as the foundation of my ethos as a physician and in life.
So practically what does it mean to pursue arete? What does it mean to be an excellent physician? I have spent a lot of time reading, listening to podcasts and other sources to try to answer these questions. Here is my summary.
Being an excellent physician is not just about being a superb clinician. It is a mentality, it is a lifestyle, it is a journey and quest to embody our fullest, God-given potential and meaning. It is a desire to live a life devoid of mediocrity but in pursuit of excellence in all things and all spheres of our life.
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