"Why We Fight"

Anyone who knows me fairly well knows that one of my favorite television series of all-time is the 2001 HBO television mini-series "Band of Brothers", based largely on the 1992 non-fiction book of the same name by historian Stephen E. Ambrose.  The show itself is a master class in leadership, and it focuses largely on the soldiers of "Easy" Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.  One of the later episodes in the series, episode number 9 is entitled "Why We Fight," in which the men of "Easy" enter Germany for the first time and liberate a concentration camp.  As they witness both the surviving prisoners who are obviously emaciated and starving, as well as the horrifying victims of Hitler's mass extermination program, they begin to appreciate the reasons why they have been through the last several months fighting to liberate Europe.  It's a particularly poignant and moving episode.

As we celebrate National Doctor's Day today, March 30th, I am reminded of what we have all been through in the last year ("This year especially, Happy Doctor's Day").  The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, but I do think that it is fair to say that we have come a long, long way in the last 12 months or so.  Our public health efforts (wearing a face mask, washing your hands, and social distancing) have been incredibly effective at preventing the spread of this disease.  We now have several vaccines that have shown to be incredibly effective at significantly reducing the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and death, and there are now a number of studies suggesting that these vaccines may be effective at lowering the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.  Finally, we now know a lot more about how to effectively treat patients with COVID-19, thereby preventing the serious complications that have been associated with this illness.  It's a time to celebrate, but it's also a time to maintain vigilance.  We are certainly not done yet, but I think it is safe to say that we are finally starting to win the war against this disease, thanks in large part to the incredible efforts of a number of physicians, scientists, nurses, and public health experts.  

I am also reminded today about the incredible heroism of our nation's health care providers.  They have been literally on the front lines of this pandemic since day one.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of today, 454,627 health care workers in the United States have tested positive for COVID-19 and 1,509 health care workers have died in the line of duty.  One could argue that this year has been the "Year of the Health Care Worker", and actually the World Health Organization did make that formal declaration earlier this year.  I am thankful for all of the providers and staff at my own institution, but I am particularly thankful for our physicians.  I am honored to be a member of this great profession.

Today, as I thank about Doctor's Day, I can't help but think about why I chose to become a physician in the first place.  There was a movie about medical school in 1989 starring Matthew Modine called "Gross Anatomy" - I remember it vividly, as I was in the process of applying to medical school at the time.  Matthew Modine's character, Joe Slovak, is asked during an interview why he wants to go to medical school.  He answers, "That's easy, I want to help people."  While his answer sounds cliched (and it is probably the most common answer to the question), it really is true.  Most of us went to medical school to "help people."  I certainly did.

So bringing everything back to my opening paragraph, for most of us physicians, this - the COVID-19 pandemic - is "Why we fight."  Perhaps it is destiny, or fate, or even as some would claim, just rotten luck.  We are here at this moment, at this point in history, to help people by fighting COVID-19.  History will remember what the world's physicians, scientists, nurses, and health care workers did this past year.  And while today is Doctor's Day, a time to celebrate physicians around the world, it is also a day to reflect and celebrate what all of us in the health care profession have done and continue to do.

Happy Doctor's Day to all of my fellow physician colleagues around the world.  May God bless you and keep you all safe.  Thank you for what you do every day.