Latest / Voices of Otolaryngology / Privademics
Transcript
- 0:01Welcome to the Voices of Otolaryngology podcast series, where we spotlight
- 0:05diverse perspectives and insights within the field of otolaryngology.
- 0:08I'm your host, Rahul Shah.
- 0:10Let's jump into it.
- 0:12Welcome to Voices of Otolaryngology
- 0:15in my world. Some days you just get lucky.
- 0:18So I'm here at Oto forum and I ran into Doctor Yen.
- 0:21What a pleasure.
- 0:23Very active with our academy, but also active in his practice.
- 0:27Spoiler alert I was a medical student in 1998, rotated
- 0:32at University of Pennsylvania for a month, and this guy was a chief resident then.
- 0:36Outstanding. And then, as ever.
- 0:38Welcome, students.
- 0:39I remember fondly sitting in the cafeteria with,
- 0:42I think I don't remember their names, Adam and some other folks.
- 0:45It was terrific.
- 0:45But it's neat how paths cross again.
- 0:48It does go deep.
- 0:49Doctor Yan today for about 15, 20, 25 minutes is going to talk about a term
- 0:54that you helped us coined in our specialty with the hybrid nature of your practice.
- 0:59Why don't you take it away and I'm gonna help guide the discussion.
- 1:01Doctor Yen. Thanks, Rahul.
- 1:02The term that we use to describe our practice is “privademics.”
- 1:07And I think we use that term because to me,
- 1:10it helps reflect how our circumstances change.
- 1:13Classically, there is a line between or a concept
- 1:17or structure of private practice versus or separate from academics.
- 1:21But to me, the reality moving forward is some of those lines blur
- 1:24where there's a lot of overlap.
- 1:25Thus, the concept of “privademics”. And some of that comes
- 1:29because us in private practice looking after patients, we might more
- 1:32stereotypically be thought, be perceived as think about the business of medicine.
- 1:36On the other hand,
- 1:37so much of what we do in active health care is teaching for our patients.
- 1:41And it's great to have a chance to be involved with learners in health
- 1:44care as well.
- 1:45So the institution that we're partner with, Saint Luke's,
- 1:48they have a medical school. There's other residents.
- 1:50So we've always had folks coming through.
- 1:52So the prospect of saying, hey, wait, would it be feasible for us
- 1:56to get involved with residency
- 1:57and actually train the future otolaryngologists as well?
- 2:00It sounded crazy, but that evolved, making us
- 2:04truly academic in the sense that I think if you're engaged in teaching.
- 2:07Right.
- 2:07So, we're living the concept of “privademics” being in practice,
- 2:11but also actively engaged in the education of colleagues.
- 2:14All right.
- 2:15So let's define it again because you said it private.
- 2:18“privademics”
- 2:20I don't think there's a yeah.
- 2:21You could pronounce it either.
- 2:22I. Then I call it “privademics”.
- 2:24“Privademics.”
- 2:25All right. Privademics. Privademics. Yep.
- 2:28Private and active.
- 2:29It rolls off the tongue.
- 2:30Privademics.
- 2:30Okay, so you have your practice.
- 2:33Can you describe just your practice?
- 2:35How many folks they are?
- 2:37Sure, sure.
- 2:38And where are you located?
- 2:39So currently, my practice is not a specialty.
- 2:41Physician associates.
- 2:42We're part of a larger organization called ENT Specialty Partners.
- 2:45But Specialty Physician Associates is based in Pennsylvania.
- 2:49We do have one office in New Jersey.
- 2:51So currently we have 13 ENTs.
- 2:53We have seven allergists.
- 2:55We have one pulmonologist who focuses primarily on sleep.
- 2:58To me, it's not the specialty or the title of providers and providers or provider.
- 3:03So I very firmly, firmly believe in including the other providers
- 3:07in the organization the audiologists, the nurse practitioners, the PA.
- 3:11So we're 40 about a 41 provider group.
- 3:1441 clinicians, providers. That's right.
- 3:16And then you probably have a 100 some staff.
- 3:19That's about right.
- 3:20So some total are about 110. Okay.
- 3:22And then and thanks for the the brief answers I love it
- 3:24because it can get me into the meat and potatoes. Sure.
- 3:26So then you have academic programs that you're affiliated with.
- 3:29You mentioned Saint Luke.
- 3:31Talk to me. Yes.
- 3:32So, as our private practice has grown and evolved, we're lucky enough
- 3:36to grow together with a health health
- 3:38care system called Saint Luke's University Health Network.
- 3:40So even though we're in private practice, we are the ENT
- 3:43and allergy service providers for a whole $3.5 billion.
- 3:46Health care and allergy, not.
- 3:48Yes, that's. Correct. So who rotates with you?
- 3:50And you could talk a little bit about that.
- 3:52So besides the medical students, besides PA students
- 3:55for another institution called DeSales University that rotate with us,
- 3:59we have learners in terms of graduate medical education from general surgery,
- 4:03emergency medicine, transitional family practice.
- 4:06Right.
- 4:07And that rotate with us in addition to at this point,
- 4:10currently our own otolaryngology residents. Okay.
- 4:12So now you just I mean, my mind exploded because I'm going to start racing
- 4:16with thoughts.
- 4:17That's a lot of oversight.
- 4:18Who does that for your practice? Well, that's.
- 4:21Why it's a lot of paperwork.
- 4:22That's a lot of evaluations. It is.
- 4:24And you know, and you know,
- 4:25and it's one of those things because it brings us joy.
- 4:28And it's important.
- 4:29But it does demand resources, right?
- 4:31So in any given month, we might have 25 learners with us in a month with.
- 4:3425 evals!
- 4:36And if you give them all fives, that could take an hour to do so.
- 4:39So it's substantial.
- 4:40And we admit we're in the process of continuing to
- 4:44work out how to how to sort this out in terms of resources and so on.
- 4:47Right, so, so with with less and it brings us joy.
- 4:50But it is work with less learners.
- 4:52There was a period where, okay, what you can devote, what you can do.
- 4:55But as the responsibility grows, it becomes one of those things
- 4:58that becomes necessary to work out or sort out with our institution.
- 5:01Right?
- 5:02Nobody's greedy or pushy, but we want to be fair.
- 5:04Oh, yeah.
- 5:05You know, because it's reality, right?
- 5:07And that's that's a nod to the private practice aspect.
- 5:09We we have no, no marginal. Bills to. Pay.
- 5:12That's correct.
- 5:12No margin, no mission. Right. Do.
- 5:15And you can single one group out I don't mind.
- 5:18Does one group help you with productivity.
- 5:20You could say yes.
- 5:21The medical students help me take a history. Yes.
- 5:23The general surgeons help me take out drains.
- 5:25Does one group actually drive productivity or overall it does slow you down.
- 5:29In in fairness, the only group that helps us with
- 5:33productivity is truthfully our own otolaryngology residents.
- 5:37Because yes, it's continuity, of course.
- 5:39Yeah, it makes sense right there within our specialty. Right.
- 5:41So the other learners, it's nice to have them.
- 5:43But for the most part.
- 5:44I mean, you're teaching the basics of, of it what an ear.
- 5:48Looks like.
- 5:48That's exactly right.
- 5:49And don't get me wrong,
- 5:50for the broader practice perspective, I've been in practice now for 25 years.
- 5:54Many of the primary care physicians in the community may have passed through.
- 5:58Absolutely. Drives referral is family practice residents.
- 6:01So that's a that's that's been a nice piece to that that I bring up
- 6:04and remind our associates with as we're devoting effort to these folks.
- 6:07Right.
- 6:08That that's not just teaching for the joy of teaching and teaching
- 6:11for better patient care.
- 6:12There is some some return as well in terms of, you know, people going up
- 6:16to be referring providers.
- 6:18So what?
- 6:18You nailed it.
- 6:19And shame on me for being so shortsighted.
- 6:22I think that's myopic, but that's why we took the, eye out of ENT.
- 6:27Okay, I don't know what it is, but I was too short sighted. You're right.
- 6:29Because you're you're feeding that ecosystem.
- 6:32Go back to the otolaryngology residents.
- 6:34Let's focus on them.
- 6:35How many? How do they rotate with you? What?
- 6:37Yes. So so we were we were awarded the the residency in 2021.
- 6:42I like that word. That's really generous word.
- 6:43Well, no, it's one of these things.
- 6:45And it was a deliberate choice as well.
- 6:47It should be because it takes a lot of resources,
- 6:49and we don't get to judge on whether we're right or appropriate in terms of case.
- 6:54Yeah. And awarded by.
- 6:54Who goes by and by the ACGME and the residents.
- 6:57So, ACGME said
- 7:00That's right. Okay. And I think
- 7:03this information is
- 7:04out there, due to AJ Tompkins work primarily heading up the.
- 7:08Yeah we call them AJ “Workforce” Tompkins. Right.
- 7:10Which which I'm pleased to serve on as a member myself.
- 7:13But but from that, a closer look at workforce
- 7:16and our needs of the new otolaryngology programs in the last 30 years,
- 7:19we're we're one of those new programs.
- 7:21So we award in 2021, we were awarded with two spots.
- 7:24And you say we so other than Saint Luke's is your academic.
- 7:27That's correct. Signatory. That's correct okay.
- 7:29So so and it's an interesting you're. The clinical side.
- 7:32That's right.
- 7:32So so our private practice comprises the entire faculty.
- 7:38That's my point for this residency. Right. So it's this hybrid thing.
- 7:41But we have to be based an academic institution because of,
- 7:44you know, the the support and all the infrastructure
- 7:47that's necessary in terms of a designated institute.
- 7:50So chicken or the egg? I'm thinking back to 1998.
- 7:52I have no idea how we ever saw patients because him and I could do this forever.
- 7:56But but you are a lot.
- 7:57You're quicker back then.
- 7:58So chicken or the egg? They came to you.
- 8:01You came to them. It was a big.
- 8:03It must have been a big leap for you as well.
- 8:05You know, it's they are 41 providers, right.
- 8:07It was a fascinating piece because right now, I'll give them credit
- 8:11that they were always forward looking in terms of saying,
- 8:14hey, if there's a problem or challenge in terms of workforce or anything else,
- 8:18how do we address that? Right?
- 8:19So I give them credit for saying we want to do a medical school
- 8:22because their belief is that if students come to train
- 8:25and learn in medical school, in the local community,
- 8:27let's be honest, retention rate is great and. Local to me.
- 8:29Where are you based? Out of which. Is a Bethlem. Pennsylvania.
- 8:32All right.
- 8:32Bethlem, Pennsylvania. So 2018, they came to you.
- 8:35Yeah. And talked about I'd be scared.
- 8:37Well, in fairness,
- 8:38it was probably prior watching this evolution
- 8:40because as they had other residency programs
- 8:43and then expanded from what you might think of ones that were perhaps,
- 8:47more complex family medicine, emergency management.
- 8:50But as they rolled on to say, wait, if we grow our GME program to address
- 8:53subspecialty needs.
- 8:55So an orthopedic residency, you know, that was,
- 8:58of the surgical subspecialties, that was the first surgical subspecialty
- 9:01where they got a resident. So then they came to you all. Yeah.
- 9:04And right now, as our group was lucky enough to grow along with the network and,
- 9:09frankly, lucky enough to have
- 9:11subspecialty expertise across the range of fellowships in our specialty.
- 9:14So we're lucky enough to have multiple docs
- 9:16and our group fellowship trained in head neck,
- 9:19in and college in right knowledge and facial plastics.
- 9:22So as we recognize that we had the team and really the interest to do it right.
- 9:26Okay.
- 9:26It's it's having all the resources, the interest and the commitment to teach.
- 9:30So we said, you know what we think?
- 9:32We think this is this is great. This is worthwhile.
- 9:34We're we're going to do it right.
- 9:35But there's a lot of thought
- 9:36you're summarizing probably a lot of business meetings.
- 9:39Yeah, a lot of thought and a lot of process.
- 9:40And in fairness,
- 9:41you know, we didn't get awarded the residency the first time we applied.
- 9:45And I'm not. Sure. Thanks for that being upfront.
- 9:47Yeah.
- 9:47Well, I'm not surprised because it's a process, right, to to know how.
- 9:50You had to tweak your submission and your.
- 9:52That's exactly. So you two residents a year.
- 9:54That's right.
- 9:55That's amazing. Amazing.
- 9:56And so tell me about their they rotate with you. They are with you.
- 9:59Yeah I mean they are our residents.
- 10:01Like you've got two new children right.
- 10:02They're our residents full time.
- 10:04So we grow to a full family, if you will.
- 10:06Starting in, in, July when we have a full complement of ten resident.
- 10:11Yeah. That's correct.
- 10:12So, so yeah, very much like a you hit the nail.
- 10:15It is it is truly a family in a different way.
- 10:18But we're we we embrace the responsibility and we're proud of being entrusted
- 10:24to train our future and do the best for, for these learners.
- 10:28And one thing that will say, if I may, about our program,
- 10:33we try to be deliberately different because you and I crossed paths
- 10:36ay University of Pennsylvania, we have we're blessed
- 10:39with these storied institutions, with residencies we can't recreate.
- 10:44Fill in the blank of the name that you want.
- 10:46We can't
- 10:46recreate the storied academic history and offerings of these other programs
- 10:50we're lucky to have.
- 10:51So we're not trying to recreate that.
- 10:53We're trying to build a unique thing. And one of the things I see
- 10:56from the workforce perspective, this is my my opinion.
- 10:59I think we're lucky to have a lot of colleagues who are subspecialty trained,
- 11:03who want to pursue that expertise in an urban environment,
- 11:06and I think that's great.
- 11:07But I perceive a need workforce wise, for well-trained generalists in community
- 11:11settings and versus
- 11:12just acknowledging that or believing it, we should look, let's try to address that.
- 11:16So the defined focus of our residency, we're not barring or limiting anybody
- 11:20from pursuing what they wish in terms of sub-special expertise.
- 11:24But I believe that our mission in our residency
- 11:26is to train individuals who are capable of going out to practice
- 11:30and providing superb ENT care in any community in America,
- 11:34and that is our stated goal, and we feel that we fail our residents
- 11:37if we're not doing that.
- 11:38And frankly, we feel that we feel the specialty.
- 11:40If we're not doing that. So that's what we're geared towards.
- 11:43Incredible statement.
- 11:45And, I love what you just said.
- 11:47We don't have the storied academic history,
- 11:51so let's not do FOMO and try to do that.
- 11:54Let's be unique.
- 11:55So I am a no.
- 11:58I'd be a let's say I'm a MS4.
- 12:00for fourth year medical student
- 12:01sitting interviewing with you, who's the chair of the program?
- 12:06That would be me.
- 12:07Okay. Thank you.
- 12:08Nice to meet you.
- 12:08So I'm sitting with the chair of the program.
- 12:11How do you sell me on that vision?
- 12:13Because I agree with you.
- 12:15But how do you how do you make a med student
- 12:18understand that you're part of a journey and they're developing, right?
- 12:21So to me, you know, it's.
- 12:23Like it's like a David and Goliath.
- 12:24I mean, you're agile, you bring something very different to the table.
- 12:27It's it's one of these things. It becomes a question
- 12:30of asking individuals, you know, what are they looking for?
- 12:33Okay. And, you.
- 12:34Know, for a fit. You're looking for what are they?
- 12:37And I'm I think there's a lot of emphasis on research, which I think is great.
- 12:42Even part of the private MC story is we are.
- 12:44Actively thank you. And I wrote a paper together.
- 12:46We're actively engaged in research sites.
- 12:49So I'd say that,
- 12:50but not every one of our colleagues in the future really wants to publish.
- 12:53Additionally be involved. That and you know what?
- 12:55That's okay. So you've kind of feel that out.
- 12:58Yeah, that's and to a certain degree nowadays we need and want that okay.
- 13:01And it's important in terms of training and getting there.
- 13:04But not everyone needs to make a commitment
- 13:06to be a research scientist for the rest of their career. Okay.
- 13:08So it's an open discussion for individuals to really reflect what's the goal.
- 13:12What do you see yourself
- 13:13really wanting to do as an otolaryngologist in the future? Right.
- 13:16And so we believe that to a certain degree, candidates will sub select
- 13:19out, say, hey, wait, this is an experience that we think might be best for me.
- 13:23And there's a lot of discussion. Let's think about where we're at today.
- 13:26We're at the we're at the Oda forum. Right.
- 13:28A big focus this is private practice of course.
- 13:31And the business of medicine. Yeah. Right.
- 13:33If we are think it's worthwhile to come back to learn. Now
- 13:37there's a lot of discussion showing more that education earlier in the process.
- 13:41And that's been a big ENT connect chat about that.
- 13:44You know what I love?
- 13:44What you're saying is instead of making every program homogenous,
- 13:48there are some that will say,
- 13:49we'll give you an extra year or two to get a grant funded research.
- 13:52You go do that.
- 13:53And you're saying our program is for a unique individual.
- 13:56You come here and this is what you're going to learn.
- 13:58So you'll be graduating your first class next May?
- 14:03This 2026 will be our first graduating class.
- 14:05Yeah, about a year from now. Yep, yep. How are you feeling?
- 14:08I'm excited.
- 14:08It's.
- 14:09Got good hands. Good minds. Yeah. Compassion.
- 14:12And, you know, I'm glad we have another year.
- 14:13It's a five year residency for a reason.
- 14:15Okay, but I feel very good.
- 14:17And, you know, you mentioned the word like another family.
- 14:20And, you know, Keith, Keith is very stressful.
- 14:22But, you know, doctors contin.
- 14:24Freeman. Are our children professional? If you.
- 14:26What are your graduates exactly right.
- 14:28Those are our current PGY 4s is going.
- 14:30So I'm super excited
- 14:31for there to to see what they go on to accomplish in the future.
- 14:35I'm very, very excited.
- 14:36As chair of the program, what's been your proudest resident moment?
- 14:40You know, it's like taking a first step.
- 14:42Was it that me or and got me to the carotid that PTA
- 14:45when they manage anaphylaxis, when they did a tracheostomy,
- 14:49when they called you and they put it all together.
- 14:52What's one of your proudest moments?
- 14:53And don't use the residents name. Just just tell me the moment.
- 14:57I would David.
- 14:59Yeah. And you're a lost for words.
- 15:01I did it, man.
- 15:02I stumped you! Like one.
- 15:04Just give me one. One proud moment.
- 15:06It happens, but it's when patients
- 15:09recognize the care and expertise of our residents.
- 15:13That's. That's what I'm proudest about.
- 15:14Tell me a story.
- 15:15Yeah, I'm just so. So you know what?
- 15:18You know,
- 15:19it's difficult in patients inventory.
- 15:22Who's actually the touchpoint?
- 15:23We can always look back and see who's there.
- 15:26Who does? The patient identifies their doctor. Right? Okay.
- 15:28So that that piece of the continuity care when when they take the time to say,
- 15:32you know what, your team came in and really made a difference.
- 15:34That comes up all the time.
- 15:35So when you're rounding, they'll say that, oh, doctor, again, we love Doctor Conti.
- 15:39Okay.
- 15:39Should this have me in the office on Tuesday, where I saw a patient?
- 15:43And, you know, it's a common thing for epistaxis. And.
- 15:46But if you're the one and you're not, health care
- 15:48and blood's fattening for your face, let's let's be honest.
- 15:50It's it's an emergency.
- 15:51First responder should have a skilled provider
- 15:54with experience and a calm demeanor come in and help you in extremis.
- 15:58That's something that's memorable.
- 15:59So that's why I use moments, if you will, because it comes up.
- 16:03So my intern, not saying her name was in the office me on Tuesday
- 16:07I went to see a patient.
- 16:09She said
- 16:09the team that came in was wonderful, and I looked in the note and I saw, oh,
- 16:12this individual saw her. So I opened the door.
- 16:14She said, I should come on in.
- 16:15I said, this is your patient, all right?
- 16:17And the patient, you could see her expression because.
- 16:19So those are the moments I'm proud of.
- 16:21Of, she gives me chills.
- 16:23And you chose an Intern, not a PGY 4!
- 16:26Well, I mean, good for you. Well, that's that's.
- 16:28The honest example
- 16:29You're you're.
- 16:29From this week. Right.
- 16:31This that's why I pause is a moment.
- 16:32It's a moment.
- 16:33But that was that's occurrence this week and I got
- 16:36I need IB I have to concede it's invigorating right.
- 16:40Because you know we've been doing this for a while.
- 16:42Things can get trite or the same or, you know, pick your term here.
- 16:47But seeing this, it reminds you why you're doing what you're doing.
- 16:51Right.
- 16:51And so that's a huge upside of the residency which,
- 16:53which goes beyond any, any kind of other, return, if you will.
- 16:58That's a big component of it.
- 16:59What's been and be careful medical legally here.
- 17:02What's been the worst phone call. The scariest phone call.
- 17:05The when the chief of cardiothoracic calls you and said
- 17:07what did what did I'll pick on Doctor Conti.
- 17:09What's the other resident? Doctor Freeman.
- 17:12Doctor Freeman, what did Doctor Conti do?
- 17:13What a Doctor Freeman do or what?
- 17:16What's been where you haven't had to defend him.
- 17:18But what's been one of the hardest things? Is it growth?
- 17:20Is it thinking about making sure they hit their numbers?
- 17:23What what keeps you up at night is in this “privademics” world?
- 17:27You know. “Privademics.” I still can’t say it.
- 17:30This extends beyond our residents.
- 17:32And I think I'm going to say this and others can disagree.
- 17:35I think often us physicians, you know, we're our own worst enemy.
- 17:39Okay.
- 17:40And a lot of the things
- 17:42this is why I give you a lot of credit for what you're up to
- 17:43and what you're doing to drive team behavior, right?
- 17:47A lot of our education,
- 17:48you know, if you're strong, you can do it by yourself and and so on.
- 17:51But no matter how talented you are,
- 17:53you can always accomplish more when you're a team.
- 17:55So you're driving through Lehigh Valley
- 17:57and you think about the residency, you're thinking about a team.
- 17:59Yeah, here's. How the one works with the four.
- 18:02It's it's super, super important because, look, we've got challenges facing us.
- 18:06I'm not negative about it. I'm excited. Challenges are good okay.
- 18:09But if I have to face challenges I'd rather do so with the team.
- 18:12Right.
- 18:12So those are the things that I really see I there's there's been no like horror
- 18:16show kind of event with the residents but trying to.
- 18:18Ruin the.
- 18:18Teamwork but to deliberately educate them in this piece
- 18:21so things will come out that are just up stuff, right?
- 18:23Like, like that, that we, I haven't had to do in the longest time yet
- 18:27because we've created this residency.
- 18:28There's not this tradition, this is what happens with the call schedule.
- 18:31Yeah. Okay. So my chiefs were chiefs on there.
- 18:34That's right.
- 18:35So so figuring out the senior call schedule, the dynamic and how it goes.
- 18:38And that work in team behavior.
- 18:41That's one that's been a challenge.
- 18:42But to me I think it's super super.
- 18:44That gets me so excited though because you look back 20 years from now
- 18:47and then the schedule you create might become an anachronistic
- 18:51might be the mantra. And but you're creating that today.
- 18:53Yeah, right. How did the Chiefs oversee the force?
- 18:56And that's exactly right now.
- 18:58Incredible, incredible.
- 19:00Looking back at the 4 to 5 year journey, what advice do you give to our
- 19:03otolaryngologists out there who might be being approached by programs?
- 19:08Because I think you and I know we can't say the word “privademics”
- 19:12“Privademics”
- 19:13“Privademics” as we look forward.
- 19:15“Privademics” might be the future.
- 19:18And you're on to something.
- 19:19What advice do you give our otolaryngologists?
- 19:24I do believe it's the future.
- 19:25Okay.
- 19:26And and right now, I.
- 19:27It's not my phrase or comment.
- 19:30A colleague just said to me and I'm sure it's used by others,
- 19:32but but no margin, no mission.
- 19:34So you could have the purest commitment
- 19:36to science and the greater good in education.
- 19:38But we all work in a world
- 19:39where we have to be mindful of resources and expanse is just fact.
- 19:43Okay, so I think this drives things towards “privademics” because,
- 19:46you know, if you're on a purist academic model, we see this exists.
- 19:49I'll, I'll speak about my colleague,
- 19:52Mas Takashima, who's, who's chair at Houston Methodist.
- 19:54You know what what MOS is creating there with an academic center,
- 19:58but otolaryngologists in the community to create a foundation or base to refer in.
- 20:03Right. That makes sense to me.
- 20:04So you could argue that's coming from the academic side
- 20:07leaning towards private practice because it's necessary.
- 20:09You need the patient volume, the flow, the referrals.
- 20:12Similarly, for us,
- 20:13if we're straight line private practice, what allows us to grow and do more?
- 20:18Looking at the residency, another piece of it point blank is recruitment.
- 20:22We're creating product for the future.
- 20:24Now, not every one of our residents should join us right?
- 20:26Okay, but I know I've got friends across the country
- 20:29that are pretty happy that we have the program.
- 20:30So there's that piece of it.
- 20:32And so I do think it's the future and whether the future is”privademics”
- 20:35or looking above or over the barriers
- 20:39or the boundaries that might have been historic between different things.
- 20:42I think those are going away.
- 20:44And this is one look or one way that may be happening.
- 20:47Be careful when you answer these because they're publicly available.
- 20:50Podcast. They're not behind a firewall.
- 20:52What's your relationship with your academic mothership?
- 20:57Is it as
- 20:57they always are, a little bit oil and water, a little bit friction,
- 21:00or is it all, jumping through fields of poppy and. No.
- 21:06You know, I think with any partnership. Right.
- 21:08If you look at a marriage or business partnership or anything else,
- 21:11it takes commitment from both people.
- 21:13And it is by definition imperfect. Okay.
- 21:16But if certain things are their shared goals,
- 21:19some reasonable flexibility, a commitment to making it work, it does.
- 21:23Right.
- 21:23And this is come up this it comes up in a in an interesting fashion.
- 21:27So you know for us in the private practice side,
- 21:29if we commit resources to teaching and education,
- 21:32if I was formally speaking, employed
- 21:35by that academic center, I might get protected time the education okay.
- 21:38Your point one or point to, you know what.
- 21:40I definitely would yeah. Okay.
- 21:42Right now in the private practice world or how does that work.
- 21:45Right. So we're going to devote time...
- 21:47That's right.
- 21:48How is your income recovery and or compensation to make up for the time.
- 21:52And the downstream impact. Right.
- 21:53I mean, so there's that process of sorting that out with the institution
- 21:56because they do receive compensation for the residency.
- 22:00Yet we're doing it's not going to make you whole.
- 22:02Yeah, we're doing the work. So how do we sort that out.
- 22:03So it is very much an ongoing partnership where there's some give and take.
- 22:07And like any in partnership, it's imperfect.
- 22:09But I've been proud of the relationship that our group has.
- 22:11And it's one of these unspoken things too, like how is this work for us?
- 22:15We've really benefited by going alongside that institution.
- 22:18I have to say that. Right.
- 22:19So so it's exactly that imperfect for sure.
- 22:22Not all poppies, but not all nightmares either.
- 22:24Yeah, but it takes two special parties
- 22:27and you and your group are special in dancing with them.
- 22:30So, yeah.
- 22:30Kudos to you.
- 22:31And applying this
- 22:32philosophy of, of adaptability and capacity for change,
- 22:35you know, for me, I believe that's the defining characteristic of youth.
- 22:38You don't have to think about it when you're younger
- 22:40because your shoe size is changing and your shirt size is changing, right.
- 22:42And then and then then where we're at.
- 22:44Right. The change isn’t always good.
- 22:46Yeah. It's still changing, buddy.
- 22:47The wrong way. Right.
- 22:49But so it's a constant, you know, to think about it when you're younger.
- 22:51So okay that's a concept I'm going to embrace it.
- 22:53No it's not all good. But embrace rather than sitting still.
- 22:56And I think that philosophically there's the piece with the residency.
- 23:00But one of the nice things
- 23:01you're asking about what we may offer, since we're touching on that, is perhaps
- 23:05a bit more flexibility
- 23:06than a traditional academic institution in terms of engagement
- 23:09with industry, which I concede is near and dear to my heart.
- 23:12Okay, because I. Believe you're right.
- 23:15To have the tools that we need to take care of the patients that we wish
- 23:20to do, take care of and do a better job, that it requires cooperation.
- 23:23So you partner with industry, cooperate with them to drive innovation
- 23:27and educate residents. That's exactly. Right.
- 23:30And there's overlap here in terms of exposure to new technology
- 23:33or better yet, a chance to get engaged with feedback in development,
- 23:36whether it's clinical research or other things.
- 23:38And that aspect of education, I believe, is is particularly unique
- 23:44to a residency that our residents
- 23:45get more of that exposure they might elsewhere to, to sort of
- 23:49see how the sausage is made, if you will, if it comes to biodesign or
- 23:52proving devices or other things.
- 23:54Right, which is which is a nice thing.
- 23:55Yeah.
- 23:56Wow. Could you let our members know your various hats or roles
- 23:59you play in the academy?
- 24:01And I can remind you, if you forget some.
- 24:03Sure.
- 24:04So I'm happy and lucky enough to serve on the nominating committee
- 24:07for Academy, which is an elected position.
- 24:08So I'm grateful for the trust and the votes of of colleagues
- 24:11and especially I think that's an important role.
- 24:13So I'm very happy to serve in that capacity.
- 24:16You know, here as part I'm a member, of course, of the Otolaryngology
- 24:19private practice section, and I'm the OPPS
- 24:22representative to the ENT PAC board of directors.
- 24:26So I serve in that capacity as well, lucky enough to have some,
- 24:29committee membership.
- 24:30I serve on the task force.
- 24:32Excuse me, the workforce task force for our specialty.
- 24:34I mentioned it earlier.
- 24:36The amount of work and effort that AJ, Tom - Tompkins put in is tremendous.
- 24:40I'm pleased to be able to try to do my little part to contribute,
- 24:44as well as the other members of that, that task force
- 24:47I serve on the medical devices and, committee as well.
- 24:51Right.
- 24:52I said I'm interested in innovation and new things.
- 24:54So to have a chance to participate in that regard, I, I do I do there as well.
- 25:00Other parallel
- 25:01organizations, the American Rhinological Society,
- 25:05I'm a member lucky enough to serve, in the section of rhinology
- 25:09and private practice as the research chair
- 25:11for the rhinology private practice, section, again, touching on this.
- 25:15Very active and what you do.
- 25:16And so we we so appreciate it.
- 25:18This podcast was to speak to an innovator out there who's helping us
- 25:24understand how private and academics, move forward in the future.
- 25:28And it's just really my honor,
- 25:30I knew back when I was a med student, you're a special guy.
- 25:32And and seeing what you've built is really cool. My pledge is
- 25:34to visit you in the Lehigh Valley and really see how the program works.
- 25:37Yeah. You're welcome. Any time I will be there. I'll be there.
- 25:40Congratulations. Really awesome what you build, Doctor Yen.
- 25:42Thank you. Thanks for having me, I appreciate it.
- 25:44We hope today's episode sparked some fresh ideas.
- 25:47If it resonated with you, please subscribe and share it with friends.
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- 26:01Thanks for listening. See you next time.