We promote a healthcare environment that supports physicians in their inherent calling to provide compassionate, life-enriching holistic care to patients and families, and enriches a physician community with a sense of balance, meaning and life purpose.

Physician Formation

What is it?Physician Formation is a deeper awareness

of and reflection on our experiences. For

many of us, this has included moving

deeper into the operational expectations

of practicing medicine, and farther away

from our colleagues and the initial reason

we became physicians.

Columbia St. Mary’s is committed to

fostering our physicians by offering

opportunities where we physicians can

explore our common experiences and the

meaning they hold for us.

Through self-reflection and other practices

grounded in theology and spirituality,

formation enables us to consider our

calling, find deeper meaning in our

work, realize our gifts and develop our

competencies in service of human

dignity and the common good.

Formation is a lifelong transformative

process that opens us to God’s action

and connects us more deeply

with ourselves, God, others

and the world.

Dear God,

please help me to look and find the one

person who truly needs my help today,

and help me find the strength

to meet their need. Amen.

What makes soul loss so subtle

and dangerous is that very few

people have realized that this

loss has happened to them.

Most of us do not know that

we have disconnected from

the vitality of our soul

and have come to accept as

normal a numbness and lack

of meaning in our lives.”

~ Rachel Remen MD

“The soul is our source of

uniqueness, a place within that

which connects you not only to

your own value and essence,

but to the value and essence of

every other living being.

Connecting with Our Calling We are called as physicians to be the captain of the ship. This is a great calling, but for many of us, the daily expectations of work leave us drained and weary.

However, this greater calling has led us to achieve and strive to help those in need. How can we achieve a balance?

Leadership Our patients, their families and the general public look to us as the leaders in delivering healthcare. The quality of our patients’ care is a direct reflection of our medical leadership. As daunting as this is, we can help build better physicians, stronger leaders and improve our community’s wellness through connecting with the initial reasons that brought us to medical school.

Time and Space We no longer see each other in the physician lounge over coffee or lunch, and there is a challenge to have meaningful conversation in the hallway as we concentrate our activities in the clinic or hospital. Making time and having the space to reconnect is becoming critical to sharing the common experience of being a physician.

Finding Meaning in Medicine There are many ways to find meaning in our medical practice. The arts, spirituality, and meaningful discussion are common outlets of expression. It has been said that in every voice there is a song. It has also been said that in every person you encounter, you find the face of God. Human interaction is the common thread of our profession, finding ways to make each interaction meaningful is our opportunity.

Well-Being47% of physicians exhibit signs of burnout. Substance

abuse, depression and anger are the three most

common. How can we be expected to consistently make

life-changing decisions and be scored on the quality of

these decisions when so many of us are struggling?

( Tait D. Shanafelt, MD, 8/20/12 archinternmed.2012.3199)

Across Columbia St. Mary’s the physician formation initiative is led by the Office of Mission Integration, in partnership with the Physician Formation Advisory Committee. The Committee is comprised of dedicated physicians who have an interest in and commitment to these topics and opportunities for themselves and for their physician colleagues. For more information and to participate, contact:

Adam King, MDPhysician Formation Champion262.376.1934Adam.King@columbia-stmarys.org

Michael Sanderl, EdDVice President, Mission Integration414.270.4922Michael.Sanderl@columbia-stmarys.org

CSM-14-12327

MissionColumbia St. Mary’s, a healthcare provider founded in response to identified community needs, is sponsored by Ascension Health, a Catholic national health system, and Columbia Health System, a non-sectarian community health system.

Columbia St. Mary’s exists to make a positive difference in the health status and lives of individuals and our community, with special concern for those who are vulnerable.

At Columbia St. Mary’s we are committed to providing high quality, accessible, values-driven programs and services with equal attention to the physical, spiritual, and emotional dimensions of health.

Core ValuesCentral to our Mission and Vision are Columbia St. Mary’s Core Values of:

Respect A high regard for the worth, dignity and uniqueness of each person.

Integrity Honesty, openness and sincerity.

Commitment to Excellence A commitment to the highest standards delivered with competence and pride.

Creativity Actions that are marked by innovation, flexibility, openness to change, and imagination.

Service Connecting with another person through an act of assistance or benefit.

Physician Formation Advisory Committee

Office of Mission Integration Heritage Center | 2320 N. Lake Dr. | Milwaukee 53211