Finding Balance During Rush Hour with Dr. Annie Im

Annie Im, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is also the Program Director for Hematology & Oncology Fellowship program. Her research is focused in hematologic malignancies, drug development, stem cell transplantation, and graft-versus-host-disease. She received her medical degree from Stony Brook School of Medicine in New York, and then completed both her residency in internal medicine and her hematology/oncology fellowship from UPMC. “I think the most impressive thing is when a physician can make you feel like you’re the most important person in that moment.” Encouraging us to go the extra mile for patients by being present, Dr. Annie Im joins us in this episode of the Medicine Mentors as we discuss the fine details of empowering patients by giving them our full presence. Tune in as Dr. Im spreads the message of staying present for all parts of our lives, reminding us that we won’t escape the rush hour busyness of physician life but that by being present we can learn to find a balance that works for any given moment. Pearls of Wisdom:   1. Even though you might be busy in your day, your patients will remember you as you are in the time that you meet with them. So be sure to stay focused and present so they can feel like they’re the most important person to you at that moment.  2. When finding a work-life balance, think of it like rush hour traffic. Sometimes it will be easy to balance things and move with ease, but it’s important to know that there will be times in your career when work or your personal life will take precedence and need more attention. The key is to find balance in all of those phases. 3. Whether it’s research, personal life, or career trajectory, mentors don’t all come with the same expertise so be sure to find a variety of mentors that can help you in each part of your life.  4. The onus is on the mentee to reach out to a mentor so when looking out for hiccups in the relationship, stay empathetic and realize that a mentor will have their own business and may not tend to every need. Long lasting relationships require work but pay off in the long run. 5. Successful people are those that find their drive through passion. Seeing that extra patient and going the extra mile isn’t just about dedication but also passion. When working passionately, things like burnout and work-life balance become easy.