Encountering the ‘light’ of dedication to one’s profession

World renowned ophthalmologist and educator shares a message with his fellow ophthalmologists.

Issue: September 1, 2005

ByBenjamin F. Boyd, MD, FACS

“It is not that we have little time; it is rather that we waste so much.”
— Seneca

Benjamin F. Boyd, MD, FACS [photo]
Benjamin F. Boyd

If we as ophthalmologists use our time wisely and to the good fortune of many, if we continue to use it in a conscientious and methodical manner, what does our time become? Light.

This may seem like a metaphor, but it is the literal truth. Consider this: somewhere in the world there will always be an ophthalmologist who, using his or her knowledge, heals a patient with defective vision. Who knows: With the aid of the miraculous technology that is now available, he or she may even return sight to the blind.

Choosing medicine

Why did you and I choose Medicine as our lifetime field of endeavor?

I chose medicine before I reached adolescence. The profound seed of medicine was germinating within. I was never attracted to business or politics or the accumulation of great wealth. I wanted to give of myself to many and to develop the gift of healing that I suspected from early on that I possessed.

I share this feeling with you because surely it is one that most of you have and nourish.

Choosing ophthalmology

As a medical student in the United States, I was required to rotate through the specialties. The truth is, I was unexcited by many of them, particularly those that I dubbed the “bloody specialties.” I gravitated toward the “clean specialties,” such as psychiatry, cardiology and ophthalmology. While all three were attractive to me, little by little ophthalmology won out during the weeks I spent at the hospital in the ophthalmology service. It was marvelous to cure with only the use of medicated eye-drops and sometimes with delicate operations involving little or no blood.

I found satisfaction in witnessing the “miracle of vision.” It seemed to me to be a great reward for a doctor to see a patient’s smiling, grateful face, happy in the magical reality of once again being able to perceive the world around him. It was like a miracle, and one that moved me deeply. That is how I discovered my vocation. From then on, ophthalmology and I had a contract for life.

Reaching for excellence

If we really want to make a difference, we must try to achieve excellence in what we do. Our driving force to reach excellence is the “spark” in the encounter with our vocation. The running motor within us is fueled by our persistent desire to contribute to the well-being of others through medicine.

My contributions to ophthalmology result from a healthy obsession for transmitting the knowledge that turned me into a physician, ophthalmologist, writer, academician and professor in a constant state of evolution, never satisfied, always open to the modern developments that might turn out to be the best for my patients. Over time, the “spark” in the running engine inside me turned me into a researcher, a dreamer of promising futures for humanity and, to my patients, a doctor with solidarity and understanding of their suffering.

Many of you may wish to play a starring role in important causes. Let us consider that a flower may flourish anywhere, even among thorns and stones. People are like that. It is not necessary to wait for everything to be ideal and perfect for us to begin to seek that which we desire. If we have a limited range of motion, then we must learn to motivate those around us. The action of our collaborators can multiply our efforts and talents or, on the contrary, they can hurt our image and decrease the value of our work.

Establishing goals

In order to address a task successfully, we must clearly understand our mission and establish our goals. We must intensely desire that which we seek. A mission cannot succeed without great force of will. A series of internal forces take shape within each of us. Our thoughts and emotions all come together in order to make a single force, the power of personal will.

Great goals are not attained without a vital desire and an iron will. If we get cozy with the “maybes,” we will never achieve any major goals in life.

The basic principles of success, in particular to be a special physician, were in me like seeds in a planter, and they flourished readily as part of my convictions. There was nothing that I considered impossible to embark upon if the end was to accomplish my mission.

My mission was not the accumulation of wealth. If we adopt this as a goal, it creates a conflict that distorts the road to our major mission. Wealth may be achieved as a secondary result of a great mission in life.

When I was at surely my most productive stage in life, I decided not to fear life but rather to live it to the fullest and achieve my goals, inspired by a desire to live. I had as my example Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi, whom I have always admired. He was a frail little man who lived a life of austerity and poverty and who fought for Indian independence from Great Britain. When I saw the small, fragile Spirit of St. Louis at the Smithsonian in Washington, I admired another spirit, Charles Lindberg, who dared to cross the Atlantic in that tiny aircraft alone.

To reach the top is certainly not the most important thing; the most important thing is what we become as we make the effort to get to the top.

The gifts we have will only shine if we work with dedication, and the more work it takes, the more we appreciate them.

For Your Information:

Benjamin F. Boyd, MD, FACS, can be reached at Highlights of Ophthalmology International, City of Knowledge, Building 207, Clayton, Panama, Republic of Panama; 507-317-0160; fax: 507-317-0156; e-mail: benboyd@thehighlights.com.