FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW YOU, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION TO HEALTH?

I’m very passionate about teaching. I think in an academic center, and you have trainees and you have an opportunity to share what you’ve learned and what you’ve seen with trainees, it really forces you to be the best physician, the best teacher you can be. I think as a result you’re constantly learning, you’re constantly being humbled by what your trainees bring to you because sometimes they know something you don’t. You’re constantly exposed to different subspecialists who bring you new ideas and new therapies you hadn’t known before. It’s a really exciting process to be a part of and a really humbling process to be a part of.

WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER DOING IF YOU WEREN’T A PHYSICIAN?

I think I would run my my own unique coffee shop. The reason for that is, if you’re in Medicine. First, I love coffee. I probably drink too much of it. This is my thinking. The modern portrayal of a coffee shop is a place where people can go to be comfortable and often it’s in those setting that people need to discuss their life, and what the issues are and what challenges they’re facing sometimes with a total stranger. I’ve had many of these conversations sitting at a coffee bar. Sometimes it’s friends, sometimes it’s family, and I think creating that sort of atmosphere and environment where people can share and learn from each other, is something we try to do in medicine, or at least what I try to do in each clinic visit that I have.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG MEDICAL STUDENT OR YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

If you find yourself interested, or passionate or wanting to do something through any of those avenues, take your time and explore it. I think previous generations had a different outlook where you sort of pushed through to get to a certain status, achieve your goal and call that a gift-wrapped product. Our field now is always changing and always growing and so if there’s an opportunity to step away for a year, two years, do some research, do some traveling, explore a different degree or a different process, educate yourself on some the newer possibility that are out there. I think it’s totally worth it

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PERSPECTIVES: THOMAS RUTHERFORD, PHD, MD

Professor & Division Director, Morsani College of Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology

 

You have to love what you’re doing. If you don’t, then it’s a job."

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