Ignite the Spark of Joy & Discovery

Self-Discovery

Throughout all of these different facets of rheumatology, there may be a common theme that you may be noticing. I would like to believe that the Zen Buddhists would agree with me, but of course I cannot speak on their behalf. Discovery must start from within. We must look deep down within ourselves to find why we discover: What is that impulse that makes us seek to be better people and rheumatologists? What is the spark that ignites joy and discovery? Is this the secret to understanding why we thrive?

As much as I’d like to believe there is nothing to believe, that is clearly not true. We must remain true to our moral precepts and to the values of ethical and humanistic care. Contrarianism for the sake of being seen as a disbeliever isn’t particularly constructive. Therein lies the paradox.

If we are meant to be unbelievers, how do we ward off the omnipresent threat of becoming nihilists? How do we maintain confidence in ourselves when we have every reason to doubt what we believe and who we are? The short answer: I don’t know. But those are questions whose answers are always worth discovering, and rheuminating upon.

Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS, is the associate program director of the rheumatology fellowship training program at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and the physician editor of The Rheumatologist. Follow him on Twitter @BharatKumarMD.

References

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2. Gruener AM, Poostchi A, Carey AR, et al. Association of giant cell arteritis with race. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019 Oct 1;137(10):1175–1179.