Doctors' Day 2024

Today, on Doctors' Day, I'd like to take a little journey back to June 3, 1904, when Charles Richard Drew was born into a middle-class Black family in Washington, D.C. While his is not a household name, Dr. Drew's work as a surgeon and medical researcher in the field of blood transfusions was foundational to the practice of medicine as we know it.

In 1940, World War II was already under way in Europe when Drew was put at the helm as medical supervisor of a project called "Blood for Britain." Under his leadership, the project helped collect thousands of pints of blood and plasma from New York hospitals and shipped them overseas to treat soldiers in Europe. At that time, Drew introduced the use of "bloodmobiles," refrigerated trucks that served as blood transport and collection centers.

As I think about Dr. Charles Richard Drew and the challenges he faced throughout his career, I wonder if he ever reflected back on the early days of his medical career and revisited the motivations that brought him to the decision to become a doctor in the first place. The same motivations that would ultimately result in thousands of lives saved.

The practice of medicine is ever evolving, and certainly has become much more complex and challenging in the thirty years since I made the decision to study medicine. I suspect the events of the past four years related to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused some in the health care profession to question their career choice. I believe it is important to acknowledge those feelings and always circle back to the "why" behind our decision to pursue a career in medicine. For me, it has always been the simple fact that the work we do matters. Every day we have the chance to make an impact on someone's life, and for that it is the greatest privilege to be a doctor.

This Doctors' Day, I'm filled with gratitude, for past pioneers in medicine as well as those among us today who practice their "why" each and every day. And at EvergreenHealth – in every location, at every level, with every service we provide – doctors are advancing the health of our community with compassion, respect, excellence, collaboration and accountability. On behalf of our patients this Doctors' Day, I offer my thanks to our doctors and each of our 5,000-plus employees. I'm proud to work alongside you.

Source: Library of Congress Blog