"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -- Maya Angelou
Imagine attending your own retirement dinner. Colleagues recount your surgical skill, diagnostic acumen, and impressive résumé. They acknowledge the awards on your office wall and the papers you published.
Then a former patient rises and says, "I know Dr. Smith won't remember me, but 20 years ago he sat beside my hospital bed, held my hand, and gave me hope when I thought my life was over. That conversation changed my life."
Which tribute would matter more? I am certain every physician knows the answer.
For physicians, legacy is not measured solely by years in practice, relative value units generated, or procedures performed. It is measured by the lives touched, the people mentored, and the example left behind.
