The possibility, or impossibility, of being good at everything with Dr. Lorenzo Patrone

In my second interview on location in Barcelona for CIRSE 2022, I sat down with the always entertaining Dr. Lorenzo Patrone . He wanted to talk about how it's pretty much impossible to be good at everything, and yet we feel this pressure to be great plumbers, scientists and educators all at the same time. We discuss his experiences with balancing clinical, academic, and family responsibilities, as well our differences in the American and European physician work environments.?

Lorenzo first recounts his entry into the European IR speaking circuit. Through networking, he continues to meet speakers, learn from their experiences, and gain effective communication and presentation skills. He speaks about normalizing the feeling of imposter syndrome, especially when being invited to speak among IR founders and luminaries. He emphasizes personal growth and identifying where your passion and talent overlaps with lecture content.

“Try different angles of the same job overtime, whether that’s clinical care, research, mentorship, or something else. No one has the time to master everything. If you have 24 hours a day and a life outside the hospital, you have to focus on what you are good at. For example, I love working with patients and doing procedures. I also like to inspire others and transmit my enthusiasm."

He highlights the fact that the field of IR revolves around three different aspects: First, the pioneering phase to innovate new procedures, then the research/evidence phase to demonstrate reproducible results, and finally, the education phase to disseminate knowledge and inspire new generations of IRs. It is common for IRs to feel overwhelmed when trying to commit to all of these fields. Instead of trying to master all aspects of the job, Lorenzo recommends that clinicians find different angles of their jobs and hone in the aspects that make them enthusiastic to come to work. Personally, he prioritizes clinical care and teaching. We discuss how time is the ultimate luxury, and how to avoid over-commitment and burnout. We also consider societal gender roles and talk about unjust extra pressures faced by female physicians.

Then, we look at some key differences between a physician career in the US, versus one in Europe. Lorenzo comments on the pay gap, training pathway, and overall philosophy of the Italian and British healthcare systems.?

"To avoid over-commitment and burnout, realize that there are certain points in your early career where you feel like you need to say ‘yes’ to every opportunity, but there will be points later on when you should be more selective.”

Finally, we discuss benefits and misuses of social media within the medical community. Lorenzo emphasizes that social media should be used as a tool to teach and inspire, rather than a platform to criticize individuals or specialties. Regarding case-based posts and feedback, he highlights the point that every clinician could have a different but valid approach to each case, based on the practice setting and operator skill. He also encourages other posters to talk about case complications, which can provide enormous educational value for learners.?

Resources

CIRSE (Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe): https://www.cirse.org/?

BackTable VI Ep. 138- From the Angio Suite to the Podium: How to Present Your Cases with Dr. Lorenzo Patrone: https://www.backtable.com/shows/vi/podcasts/138/from-the-angio-suite-to-the-podium-how-to-present-your-cases?