Announcement

Thoughts from afar and much later in life.

Jim Fleshman MD  FASCRS FACS

Chair of Surgery Baylor University Medical Center

Sparkman Endowed Professor and Chair

Professor of Surgery, Texas A and M  University College of Medicine

Not everyone gets to work in a world class organization, but they all want to. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of a group of people and a way of practicing colon and rectal surgery that has changed the way we think about the diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. Long course and short coarse radiation for rectal cancer, multi-disciplinary team care of patients with all types of colorectal disease (cancer, functional abnormalities, inflammatory bowel disease), ethical discussions around appropriateness of care, palliative care and end of life discussions relevant to the care of the sickest patients, minimally invasive approaches to colorectal disease and the genetic basis of colorectal disease have all been in some way influenced by the Section of Colon and Rectal Surgery at Washington University. The research, scholarly writings, academic and societal committee participation, national and international presentations, student, resident and fellow education, partner and trainee mentoring and collegial partnership with likeminded motivated colon and rectal surgeons all over the world has extended the influence of the section beyond the imagination of most ordinary mortals. I believe it is important to stop and think about the impact of our actions over time in order to realize where we have been and to where we have come. I am glad and very proud that Ira Kodner , Robert Fry, Elisa Birnbaum, Tom Read, David Dietz, Matt Mutch, Steve Hunt, Bashar Safar and Shakar Darmarajan allowed me to be a part of their lives and together serve our patients for a period of time.

Every successful team works with the belief that a vision will be fulfilled and is motivated by the mission that has been instilled in them from the onset of the journey. Thank you, Ira, for setting us on this path and thank you for the support and guidance that you gave to each one of us through the years. As partners, residents and research fellows have come and gone, the goal of creating the premier academic program in Colon and Rectal Surgery has never left you. You always spoke of legacy and reflected light. You taught us that leadership is helping the team succeed and taking pride in the success of others is the reward. It is amazing how much that is a motivation to me now, at the end of my career and I hope that the light I reflect has a warming effect on you.

It is interesting that all the things that I took for granted in St Louis seem so new and different in another setting. The collegiality, willingness to share, lack of competition between partners, vision of something  bigger than ourselves in the section, focus on more than just the clinical aspects of caring for patients, learning and teaching the soft side of patient care with an emphasis on emotional awareness and empathy, ethics, our responsibility to lead the community to give great colorectal care based on expanding educational opportunities have all been part of the building process in my new position. Thanks again to Ira for showing us this important aspect of leadership and life.

Finally, to all of the research fellows, residents in the general surgery and colorectal surgery programs, nurses in the Barnes Jewish complex that worked with us day in and day out on the wards, in our office and clinic and in the OR, the administrative staff team led by Liz Nordike and our Department of Surgery colleagues led by Drs Chapman, Siccard and Eberlein, thank your support and for believing in us as we strived for excellence on a daily basis. I will always be proud to have served with you. We owe you a great debt of gratitude for making the environment a place to grow and work and succeed. I am sure I speak for all of us who have come and gone when I say it was a team effort and I am glad to have been part of that team.

Thank you, Drs Yee and Kodner for indulging me in my reminiscing. God bless each and everyone of you. I wish you all the best as we celebrate the 45 years of Colorectal Surgery at Washington University and 20 years of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Residency program at Washington University.