Episode 24: 4 Ways Deliberate Practice Will Make you a Successful Doctor
February 25, 2020

Ever felt that you have gone through your day on “auto-pilot”? Deliberate practice is your answer.

As goal-oriented people, we have a very unique profession. In our early years, while in medical school, we were obliged to learn large amounts of information quickly, precisely, and daily. It was the proverbial “drinking water from a firehouse.” 

As we entered residency, our challenges were equal but different. We had different responsibilities and were only just beginning to learn the practice of medicine. But, for many, who have graduated from residency more than five years ago, our learning and performance may have plateaued. If one would take an honest assessment as to “why,” you would appreciate that you have stopped getting better at what you do. 

Friends, as high-achieving physicians, we are no strangers to delaying gratification. Compared to our non-medical colleagues, we have spent an excessive amount of time reaching the rank of “doctor.” We had been preparing for that day since high school, and once that destination is reached, we exhaled completely and became comfortable. 

To achieve a lifetime of wellness, though, graduating from medical school is only the beginning of our journey, not a destination. In fact, it doesn’t matter how many years you have been practicing; most physicians fail to become experts in their field. While, yes, we have a remarkable ability to consume information, there are limits to how far we can advance without deliberate practice. 

To transition from doctor to expert, from average to extraordinary, from “just trying to make it through my shift” to a lifetime of wellness, we need to practice deliberately and intentionally.

Origins of Deliberate Practice

The idea of mastering a skill was popularized by New York Times Bestseller, Malcolm Gladwell, in his wonderfully written book Outliers. Gladwell, in his book, tries to answer the question, “what makes high achievers different?” He opines that we, as a society, pay way too much attention to what successful people are like instead of looking at the subtle differences that make them outliers. Along the way, he explains secrets such as what made the Beatles great and why some software developers are billionaires while others can’t even make it past start-up status.

While, yes, their culture, family, and idiosyncracies shape their success, it is this claim that greatness requires an enormous amount of time–specifically 10,000 hours. It is within this book that he cites the 1993 work of K. Anders Ericsson, a Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. 

Since Gladwell’s claim, Professor Ericsson has sought to clarify Gladwell’s interpretation. In fact, Ericsson mentions that his study does not suggest a “magic number” for achieving greatness. His research revealed that, on average, elite performers practiced 10,000 hours. More importantly, Ericsson showed that mastery of skill could be achieved using very specific, very focused, deliberate practice.

Resources

Deliberate Practice

While regular practice may include mindless repetition of a specific task or routine, deliberate practice is purposeful and mentally demanding. It’s hard. It requires an intense level of focus and concentration with the goal to improve performance–to go beyond your current level. 

Simply put, deliberate practice is demanding–incredibly demanding. 

But it works. 

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” -Bruce Lee

One of the best examples of deliberate practice is looking at one of the greatest golfers in the 20th century, Ben Hogan. He woke up each morning to hit golf balls. Rather than mindlessly hitting the ball, each session had a purpose. He methodically broke down his swing at every phase of the arc. Additionally, he would carefully and precisely break down the game of golf into chunks and would master each section. It should come as no surprise that this deliberate practice led him to nine career professional major championships.

How to Start 

It requires an Honest Assessment of your Current Skills

Understandably, this may be uncomfortable for you. But, you are not interested in stagnation. You want to learn, grow, and thrive in medicine. So, begin in the beginning and write down exactly, what you consider yourself “good” at and, equally, if not more important, what you struggle with. 

Further, what do you want to improve, and why? You see, just showing up and doing the same thing over and over again leads to mindlessness, which is the enemy of self-improvement. It is the enemy of deliberate practice. As physicians, we feel that repetition equals mastery, but in reality, we are just reinforcing our current habits and not improving them.

It requires SMART Goals

Your identified weakness should challenge you. It needs to be beyond your reach. Remember, we are looking to promote self-mastery. As you begin your journey toward goal setting, focus on the 3 “C”s of goal setting.

  • Clarity in your intentions
  • Challenging to mind and body
  • Commitment to the process

As life long learners, always have goals forefront of our minds. It’s perfectly acceptable to experiment and refine your goals, but the key is to be moving forward, not backward.

“Don’t look back–you’re not going that way.” -Mary Engelbreit

Resources

It Requires Feedback

To truly engage in deliberate practice, you need a teacher. The value of a good mentor is incalculable. This mentor will provide you small, progressive concrete goals for improving but, more importantly, will give you the feedback to improve your craft. 

Put your pride and ego aside and look for a teacher who will challenge you (and occasionally make you uncomfortable). 

Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, surgeon, New York Times bestseller, and public health leader had a fantastic essay in the New Yorker on the value of a coach in the operating room. Dr. Gawande, a renowned general and endocrine surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, had asked his retired colleague, Dr. Robert Osteen, whom he trained with during residency, to observe him during surgeon and to provide him feedback. Even eight years into his practice, Dr. Gawande knew the importance of a good coach toward lifelong improvement. This is the essence of a lifelong learner.

While medicine is a vast field, it is still a, comparatively, small field within each of our specialties. Seek these experts out! Direct coaching is vital, and to advance to the next level in your career or personal life, you must seek them out. 

To some, financial, geographical, and personal obligations can limit your ability to find a suitable mentor. Do not be discouraged. Stay committed and seek online resources (for now). 

Resources

Stay Motivated

Celebrate your wins (no matter how small) and motivate yourself to keep improving. Keep your mind and your body happy and healthy. Finally, surround yourself with a group of people who motivate and lift you up. Learn from one another and challenge each other to improve. 

Resources

As physicians, we understand disease and the science of treatment, but few of us develop an aspiration of growth or ethos of continual improvement. Sure, we have required CMEs to maintain our licensure. But that’s it–maintenance (in other words, not falling behind). To truly maintain a spirit of physician wellness–to learn, to grow, to thrive, we must seek more from ourselves. Deliberate practice is a necessary task to reach your peak performance. 

It is often said, “if you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.” 

What room are you in now and what room do you want to be in?

“Our ability to grow is directly proportional to an ability to entertain the uncomfortable.” -Twyla Tharp

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About Dr. Harry Karydes
Success Mentor For High-Achieving Healthcare Professionals
If you are like most high achievers, you’re already a focused and self-motivated individual. You’re devoted to healing your patients–and doing it quickly. But you’re looking for more. You’re looking for a lifetime of success in your personal and your professional life. I help busy professionals by creating habits that peak performers use every day. My mission is to give you the courage and the tools to learn, grow and thrive in the important areas of your life. To live a life of focus and balance. Yes, you can succeed at work and at home. All it takes is the intent and a mentor to walk with you. If you provide the first, I will provide the second. Let’s get started.
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