Not every academic presidential address includes NC-17 rated language, or Metallica, or Picasso. Dr. Alan Dardik's presentation to the Association of VA Surgeons (AVAS) at their April 26 annual meeting, necessarily did.
"Not all of our Veterans return to civilian life as happy well-adjusted people. As a VA surgeon, some of my patients are addicted to drugs or alcohol; some abuse their partners; some are in prison", said Dr. Dardik, through tears. "We all know these patients, and they need our care, our love, and our humanity. We need to understand them to take care of them."
So began Dr. Dardik's hour-long address, "It's All About the Patient" — a moving exploration into the power of art (heavy metal, specifically) to better understand our Vets, our patients, and what it means to provide personalized, patient-centered care — truly.
The annual meeting marked the conclusion of Dr. Dardik's two-year term as the 51st President of AVAS. He is succeeded by Yale colleague and Chair of Surgery for the VA, Dr. Ronnie Rosenthal.
JAMA Surgery has asked Dr. Dardik to submit his presidential address for publication. Rock On.
A video recording of Dr. Dardik's presidential address is available on the AVAS website.