It Could Be Me

A colleague asks me to see her cousin. I know him.
He’s my age. He’s married. He’s a father. He’s like
me except for colon cancer. He does well through
surgery and chemo. Two years later I see him
dancing with his wife. I am suddenly terrified as I
think, “I hope he doesn’t recur.”

Bartley Pickron, MD

Associate Professor, Department of Surgery

Things don’t always go smoothly in surgery. The first time it happens to you, especially when it is something for which you are directly responsible, can be terrifying. Part of learning is to experience these problems, but also to know that most problems are fixable.

Voices from the Faculty:
2020, "It Could Be Me"
2020, "Stapler Misfire" View more for Bartley Pickron, MD