171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
800-424-MUSC
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September 2007
Letter From Our Chair
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L. Lyndon Key, MD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Pediatrics |
Dear faculty, Children's Hospital staff and other friends,
As I have been reading the statements of many of our students that are applying for residency programs in pediatrics, I am touched by the fact that so many applicants start and end their statements discussing their desire to help others. Over the last decade, I have felt that there has been a cheapening of life, both in America and around the world. Perhaps, the balance is shifting. The question is: "Can we find a way to mix morality and humanity?" In each of the statements that I have read, it seems "caring" for those we know, and those we do not, is seen as a way not to further a particular ideology, but to provide love to each other.
A children's hospital is a place where "caring" and "expertise" are mixed. It is a group of experts-doctors, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, maintenance workers, housekeepers, and administrators. As we move forward with a long-term plan to build a new hospital, either by renovating existing buildings or creating new facilities, we need to build in values, as well as, bricks and mortar. The measure of a children's hospital is not its equipment, or the expertise, it is the ability of the institution and each individual to make people feel better.
In a children's hospital, we must not only build in efficiency, but also build an atmosphere of purpose. I propose that we create a vision of helping, curing, caring, and loving those whom we serve. We talk about competencies, including professionalism. Professionalism means many things, but mostly it means treating every patient as if they were the most loved person in the world. Certainly, we must have the information and services to translate our desire into effective care for our patients. Through our MUSC Excellence Program, we are seeing a desire to improve our interactions with each other and an improvement of both our attitude and our care of those we serve.
Care can come in the form of new discoveries. It can come when a secretary goes the extra mile to get a patient into the clinic for care. Care is not limited to one gender, race, or religion. Care can come in million dollar donations and it can come with a simple smile. In fact, I believe that the smile is the basis of every thing else. So, I would ask all of our faculty, staff, trainees, and patients to give and receive the care and love that we mean to provide. I am sure that with this attitude, we will find "a way to mix caring with every aspect of our work." Smile!
Sincerely,
L. Lyndon Key, MD
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
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