By Dr. Eliza Chin
There is one role that I have held longer than my leadership role in AMWA.
More than two decades ago, after the publication of the anthology, This Side of Doctoring: Reflections from Women in Medicine, I was invited by Dr. Linda Clever (long-time AMWA member) to join the Board of Directors of RENEW. At that time, few others were talking about physician wellbeing. Who would have thought that over two decades later, I would still be a board member, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of RENEW and with a group of new found friends with whom I would have lasting relationships. The work of RENEW gets to the heart of what we most need in medicine – a return to our values, sustaining energy, effectiveness, and sense of purpose in our work. Years of work with RENEW, even as I raised my family nourished my soul. To this day, it remains a place where we “fill our tanks” even as we carry out our work. RENEW’s programs have benefitted healthcare practitioners across the country, especially within the healthcare sector.
So it was with great honor that AMWA helped nominate Dr. Clever for the California Medical Association Gary S. Nye Award for Physician Health and Well-Being. We were even more thrilled when she was awarded the honor at the recent CMA Annual Meeting.
San Francisco Marin Medical Society (SFMMS) Executive Director, Conrad Amenta, applauded Dr. Clever’s work on promoting a better understanding of the dimensions of physician health and wellness. “Dr. Clever has been instrumental to the incorporation of provider satisfaction into the ‘quadruple aim’ to improve population health and quality of care,” he said.Congratulations, Dr. Clever, and thank you for being a mentor and supporter to generations of physicians and nurses.
