Reflection

After Thinking About It

If I had to pick one phrase that has defined my life, I think it would be, “After thinking about it.” I have said that phrase so many times! Sometimes it was because I’d done something foolish, and after thinking about it, I had to go back and make amends. Occasionally, I’ve looked at a situation and, after thinking about it, I was able to make a good decision.

Taking the time to think about something is called reflection. Reflection usually alters your perspective. This is why reflection, thinking about it, is the key to growth. When you take the time to seriously reflect, you are able to see things in greater depth, and accept other points of view. It can help you better find the best and most appropriate way to act, and leads to better decision-making.

Most of the mistakes I’ve made in my life happened because I didn’t take the time to think about things before I acted or spoke. I tended to react, usually impulsively, and as you might expect, it didn’t work out well for me. Once I’d settled down, I’d take the time to think, which led to reflection, and I could see things clearly and saw where I had been wrong. I shudder to think about how much of my life I’ve spent apologizing and trying to make amends. Things would have been so much easier if I’d thought before I spoke, or measured my actions before I made them. Life would have been so much easier on the people around me too. I’m lucky my family is forgiving, and that my friends are naturally gracious and forgiving people. If you only reflect after a conversation or event, it’s easy to see what you could have done better, but it’s painful too.

Things work out so much better for me when I think before I speak or act. My response is always more measured and appropriate. It’s a small victory for me that I do that far more often now than I ever did in the past. It’s growth, but it is small growth. I become better when I think before and reflect after I do something or have a conversation. While most problems can be avoided by thinking before, I truly become better as a person, professional, or friend, when I reflect afterwards and then make changes for the future. That’s where the real growth happens.

Do you take the time to think before and reflect after you do or say something? Life is so much better when you do. Might it be a good time during break to reflect after last semester and think before next semester?

Green Spaces at UAMS

Ever find yourself inside on one of those glorious warm sunny days when nature seems to beckon us to come outside? Maybe, like me, you weren’t raised in the city, and you need some fresh air and a chance to stretch your arms and inhale and exhale deeply. Maybe you miss the chatter of the critters and the sounds of human living going by. It’s rejuvenating (it makes us young again) to smell the delightful aromas of the blooms or of a just-passed rain—you can almost taste the dewy sweetness. How nice to be caressed by the gentle massage of a breeze, to see green plants and birds on the wing, butterflies at a blossom. But, we live in a mini-city of concrete high rises and technological marvels. It’s not so easy to get outside and breathe free.

There are some green spaces around UAMS, don’t you know. Tucked here and there are some spaces where you might decompress for a few moments. You might even take your studies and work outside. I’ve located and noted places around the campus with benches, in some cases tables and shade. I have tried to indicate which areas are accessible to wheelchairs and to persons who have trouble navigating steps. For the most part, these are also green spaces designed with a variety of plant life and often soothing water feature backdrops. Come outside and enjoy.

Green Spaces at UAMS

The Chancellor’s Garden on Campus Drive outside the Chancellor’s suite and accessible from the sidewalk on Campus Drive. This is an accessible area.
The PRI Entrance Garden with benches and a tranquil water feature. This area is accessible from above from the hospital entrance, but only accessible by steps from Hooper Drive.
The PRI perennial beds near the west entrance.
(The PRI Healing Garden)—available to PRI patients only.
The Bruce Fountain with benches in front of the main entrance to UAMS. This is an accessible area.
(The gardens among the CHP buildings). There are 3 courtyards on the main level and a small section on the lower level. These areas are currently unavailable and being renovated. Currently the courtyards are sunken and require steps down to enter.
(The CHP lower level section). See # 6 above.
There are some shaded tables and chairs outside the student center (around the side of the building from the entrance). This is an accessible area.
Resident Hall. There are some shaded tables and chairs outside the Resident Hall Administrative Services building. This is an accessible area.
Wilson Park—on the hill behind and above I. Dodd Wilson building. This area is not accessible from IDW, but can be accessed without steps from the parking lots near the Student Center and Admin West building.
Shorey Entrance. On Campus Drive, there are benches. This is an accessible area.
Anna Mae Garden located between the back entrances to Radiation Oncology and the Outpatient Center. There are benches, a pergola, and beautiful flora. I could not locate an accessible entrance to this area.
Spine Center Entrance. There are tables and chairs and a bench. This is an accessible area.
IOA Garden.
Cancer Center Entrance includes container plants and benches. This is an accessible area.
Cancer Center Healing Garden with tables, paths, and a variety of plantings. This area is accessible, but it has multiple areas with steps between, and they are not directly accessible to each other.
Biomedical Center, tables in 3 locations.
(The Rooftop Garden). Atop Parking 1. Currently unavailable, undergoing renovation. This area has been accessible.
There are shaded tables and chairs outside the cafeteria which is located on the ground floor of the Central Building. There are often several people in this area, eating and visiting so it may not be as conducive to study and quiet. This is an accessible area.
There is a small area with a bench tucked in between the Outpatient entrance and the Jones Eye Institute entrance.

It does a body good to taste and see and hear and smell and touch these worlds of beauty. Come outside and enjoy.

Be a Subversive, Read a Banned Book

Feeling a little subversive? Me too. We’re in luck. This week (September 23-29) is Banned Books Week. Sponsored by the American Library Association and other organizations, “. . . Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.”[1] At UAMS we may forget that challenges to learning and restrictions on reading significantly limit education and negatively impact optimal quality of life. Banned Books Week reminds us that a healthy life is an informed, broad-minded life.

Book banning has existed for centuries. In addition, access to certain books has been restricted from certain age groups or restricted to privileged or initiated groups. Thoughts and words are dangerous! Who knows what revolutionary movements might be spawned? In the United States between the years 2000 and 2009 the Office of Intellectual Freedom at the American Library Association received over 5,000 reports of either challenges to remove and restrict books or instances of books being banned. Complaints were most often about sexual content, either that it was explicit or that the nature of the sexual behavior was contrary to the complainant’s standards (HGBTQ issues, violence, behavior by minors, for instance). Other common complaints were about language or violence or about the book being unsuitable for a particular age group.

You are not surprised that around 2/3 of the complaints were in reference to school libraries and classrooms. Only around 150 of the complaints were associated with higher education. Slightly over half of the complainants were parents. If you would like to know specific books check out the American Library Association’s web pages. You’ll find books you expected and some surprises (maybe like me, you develop a reading list).

Generally I am completely opposed to censorship of information by any group. Be they political, religious, or public-minded, such groups always support their own interests and biases. It is certainly appropriate for parents to guide carefully their children, but to limit choices for others poses a problem. In the medicine we are taught often and early the importance of informed consent, and informed consent requires access to full information.

I was interested to find that books related to medical issues have been challenged, removed from publication, and even banned. In 1822 the British government banned The Natural History of Man by Sir William Lawrence because the author claimed that religion and metaphysics have no place in medical research. Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species is one of those pesky books which have been challenged, restricted, and banned periodically since its publication. An anatomy textbook from the 1970s was removed from publication both because of its text and the objectionable way in which women were portrayed in pictures. Several books by William Reich were destroyed by the U.S. government after the influential psychiatrist was convicted of medical quackery and served time in prison where he died. In 1997 The publisher of the Atlas of Topographical and Applied Human Anatomy by Eduard Pernkopf stopped further publication after Pernkopf’s ties to Nazi Germany came to light. Look also into the story of Henrietta Lacks. You might be interested to know that our library has some of these volumes in its collection.[2]

Read on! In honor of this week start reading a banned book. It will do you good. If you are interested, drop by during the week. I have displayed materials related to the topic, and I’ve brought some of the banned titles we have in our own family library.

[1] http://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks. The American Library Association has a number of webpages devoted to this topic and I relied on them for much of the general information in this blog.
[2] https://becker.wustl.edu/news/banned-medical-books/. https://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rwj/banned-medical-books. Thanks also to the Department of Medical Humanities here at UAMS for their help in pointing to resources for this blog. Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Johns Hopkins also has a brief statement about Ms. Lacks and a short video about her legacy, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/henriettalacks/index.html.

Being Thankful

It hard to believe that it’s already Thanksgiving! A time for reflection, a time to be thankful for everything in our lives. The semester has gone by so quickly. It seems like I’ve had my head down, buried in my work, and when I finally look up, it’s time for the Thanksgiving holiday! A friend once commented that the days drag, but the weeks fly by. Maybe that’s why Thanksgiving has taken me by surprise this year.

Gratitude

It’s hard to be thankful, but gratitude is the heart of our ability to appreciate what we have. Most of us don’t take the time for thanks. We are often too busy, buried in information, exams, friends, family, work, and all the other immediacies that compete for our attention. We complain about never having enough time, enough money, enough opportunity, and if only we could get whatever, we would make it, be successful, be happy. What we forget is that all our working and reaching keeps our eyes on what we want and we never celebrate what we have.

Thankful for What We Have

We can’t be successful in life if we only focus on keeping up, catching up, holding on, and getting more. We have to stop from time to time to think, reflect, and take stock. Reflecting on our lives, our achievements and our setbacks, helps us change and grow. I would argue that it is equally important to experience gratitude, and be thankful for for what we have, the people, opportunities, encounters, and adventures we have experienced. Thankfulness increases appreciation, which increases satisfaction and contentment.

Whether you are celebrating a Thanksgiving with your family or enjoying a friendsgiving with your comrades, take the time to stop, reflect, and experience gratitude. Focus on what you have rather than what you don’t. Be thankful for what you have accomplished, for having direction in your life, and for all the people who support you. If you can, share your appreciation with others, but most of all, enjoy your holiday. Rest and refresh yourself and return ready for the end of the semester.

The Student Success Center will close at 6:00 pm on Wednesday November 22nd for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen at 7:30 am on Monday, November 27th.

Come Outside: Green Spaces at UAMS

Ever find yourself inside on one of those glorious warm sunny days when nature seems to beckon us to come outside? Maybe, like me, you weren’t raised in the city, and you need some fresh air and a chance to stretch your arms and inhale and exhale deeply. Maybe you miss the the chatter of the critters and the sounds of human living going by. It’s rejuvenating (it makes us young again) to smell the delightful aromas of the blooms or of a just-passed rain—you can almost taste the dewy sweetness. How nice to be caressed by the gentle massage of a breeze, to see green plants and birds on the wing, butterflies at a blossom. But, we live in a mini-city of concrete high rises and technological marvels. It’s not so easy to get outside and breathe free.

There are some green spaces around UAMS, don’t you know. Tucked here and there are some spaces where you might decompress for a few moments. You might even take your studies and work outside. I’ve located and noted places around the campus with benches, in some cases tables and shade. For the most part, these are also green spaces designed with a variety of plant life and often soothing water feature backdrops. Come outside and enjoy.

Green Spaces at UAMS

The gardens among the campus buildings behind the student center and the COPH building. There are 3 outdoor spaces, each of which is lined with greenery and includes benches:
- Between building 4A and building 5A.
- Between building 7A and buildings 2 and 3, next to 5A.
- Between building 7A and 6A, this is the “Legacy Garden.”
There are some shaded tables and chairs outside the student center (around the side of the building from the entrance).
There are benches on the hill behind and above I. Dodd Wilson building.
There are some shaded tables and chairs outside the Resident Hall Administrative Services building.
There are several balconies with tables and chairs in Rahn Education building. The largest (also the most used) is outside the Metro Deli 2 indoor seating area. It appears to me that there are balconies facing north toward the Hillcrest area, facing east toward downtown, and facing West.
The UAMS Garden, also called the Chancellor’s Garden on Campus Drive outside the Chancellor’s suite and accessible from the sidewalk on Campus Drive.
There are shaded tables and chairs outside the cafeteria which is located on the ground floor of the Central Building. There are often several people in this area, eating and visiting so it may not be as conducive to study and quiet.
The Healing Garden outside the Gathering Place café on the first floor of the Rockefeller Cancer Institute.
Off the first floor lobby of the hospital toward parking one and looking toward the VA center there are some outdoor benches.
Outside of the Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI) there is a small green garden space with bench seating.

The weather appears to be moving slowly toward cooler Autumn. It’s a good time to be outside.

Human Errors

You may have noticed a mistake or two in the text of this blog. There are at least 8 (a light-hearted illustration on my part of the theme of the blog). Can you find them all? You may email me at remusser@uams.edu for a list of the ones I intentionally included.

Oops. I did it again. I apologize. My misteak. Earlier this week I sent an email to a colleague, and I included a brief description of the file I attached. Guess what—I failed to attach the document. Know what happened the next time I sent that same person an attachment? Your right, I attached the document. Why are we so afraid to goof up? In the book Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning, the author Peterr C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel make the observation, “. . . errors are an integral part of striving to increase one’s mastery over new material.” And later in the discussion they add, “When learners commit errors and are given corrective feedback, the errors are not learned.” This finding is in contrast to a widely-held belief that the very act of making a mistake reinforces that mistake in the mind and actions of the learner. Not so, if the learner or the instructor provide reflection and correction.

Some of the Best Learning is Built on Errors

I can hear the naysayers (myself included) push back that some errors are more critical than others. As Stewart on the TV show “The Big Bang theory” observed, “It’s wrong to say a tomato is a vegetable; it’s very wrong to say it’s a suspension bridge.’ I don’t want my surgeon or my airline pilot getting it wrong. That’s why there are flight simulators and practice ahead of time—it’s better to make our mistakes in the learning lab than on the actual job. With reflection and another go at it we learn, and we do better. We do make mistakes; the time tested statement is correct, “to err is human.” It might be nice to live an error-free life in an error-free world, but we do not. In fact, contrary to our expectations the best learning is built on failures and on the subsequent efforts to evaluate what went wrong, why, and how to avoid that problem next time. After all, Edison’s light bulb was not nearly his first attempt nor was he the first person to create an electric light.

In our culture to accept mistakes, even more to embrace them as a valued component of learning, goes against the grain. One of the unfortunate affects of this attitude is that we become risk averse, unlikely to test new skills or to try new ways of thinking. Yet, novel thinking and novel methods are necessary for improvement. So, give yourself a brake. Embrace your mistakes. Do note them, examine them (why did that happen, what exactly happened, how can I do better next time), and learn.

Resilience After Failing

At the end of the first day of the Battle of Shiloh Tennessee in 1862, the forces under General Ulysses Grant were demoralized and defeated. Late that night Grant’s second-in-command, William T. Sherman found Grant under a tree in the pouring rain. ‘Well, Grant,’ said Sherman, ‘we’ve had the devil’s own day, haven’t we?’ ‘Yes,’ Grant replied, ‘lick ’em tomorrow, though.’ http://www.historynet.com/account-of-battle-of-shiloh.htm

The next day, they did. Reinforcements arrived, and Grant’s army succeeded in pushing back the Confederates to win the battle. General Grant’s resilience made it possible for him to push for victory after a calamitous setback and failure.

What is Resilience?

Resilience is the inner quality that enables you to pick yourself up after a failure or setback and move forward toward a success. Instead of giving up, a resilient person takes time to reflect and honestly analyze the why behind the failure or setback. He or she corrects their errors, formulates a new plan, and moves forward toward the goal.

Resilience helps students come back after failing a test. While performing poorly on an exam can be upsetting, remember, you will usually have many opportunities to “show what you know”. What is most important is that you move forward, and perform better the next time.

What Does a Resilient Student Do After Failing?

So what should you actually do after failing a test? The actual process is quite straightforward, although every student will execute it differently. Very simply, you should reflect, analyze, make changes, and execute.

Reflect. Begin with reflecting back over your preparation, and your expectations before you took the test. How well did you manage your time? What study strategies did you use to prepare? Did you learn as much as you could about the test? What were your expectations going into the test? Did your expectations match reality?

Analyze. It’s not enough to find the right answers to the test questions you missed. Instead, do a careful review of your exam and analyze each item to determine why you missed it. Did you not know the information? Did you misread the question, rush through it, or forget to come back to it? Did you panic and shut down? Were you sick or hungry? All of these are reasons for poor performance, and it’s important to know why you missed a question so you know what to change for the next test.

Make changes. Once you know why you missed an item you can make changes in the way you prepared (studied) or in how you took the test. For example, if you didn’t know the information, you can make sure that it’s in your notes and you tested yourself on it before the exam. If you misread the question, you can read it more deliberately, and read each response before you select one. Figure out what you need to do, and then plan how you will do it.

Execute. Now, follow through and do the things you need to do to be more successful. Your planned changes are worthless if you don’t actually put them into practice.

Developing your resilience will serve you well during your academic and professional careers. If you want help coming back from failing a test, complete the Academic Coaching Request to schedule an appointment with a Learning Specialist in the Student Success Center. We will be happy to help you make positive changes in your study and test-taking habits and become more academically successful.

Fun with Words: An Invitation to Enjoy Learning

Words are Fun

Academe is a proper noun referring to “An ancient school where morality and philosophy were taught.” Academy is a noun derived from Academe and referring to “A modern school where football is taught.” Some years ago I ran across the Devil’s Dictionary in which these and other delightful definitions are found. I like to have fun with words; I hope the same for you. You have to do some learning while here, might as well have some fun. Ambrose Bierce, the editor of the Devils’ Dictionary, was a Civil War general and later writer who assembled this collection of wry observations. For instance, he defined an acquaintance as “A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to, a degree of friendship called slight when its object is poor or obscure, and intimate when he is rich or famous.” Bierce is probably most famous for his definition of history, “n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.” He also includes the following entry I love for its succinctness and subtlety. “Once, adv., enough.” I hope I’ve tempted you. Be warned: Bierce’s dictionary was published in 1906 and includes material we might find troubling today. He’s not gender inclusive, for instance, and his terminology may offend at times.

Second, way back in the Dark Ages of 1982, I received a book with the following inscription,

The book is Mrs. Byrne’s Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words. Aside from you wondering what sort of friendship includes the gift of a dictionary as a present, here again I hope to tempt you to learn enjoyably. You would find that tomomania is an excessive desire to undergo surgery. You might discover that zymology is the science of fermentation. And, if you are aware that something insipid is unappealing, then it makes sense that good food is quite sipid, tasty. You’d be surprised at the number of manias and phobias that are frequent enough to have been named. There are a number of medical terms here, a reminder to us that, even if we know the terms tocology, xerotic, bromatology, occlude, variolation, or even oncology, our patients hear a foreign language. These entries are in a dictionary of obscure and unusual words. It’s good to learn to describe them in simpler terms. By the way, be sure to guard yourself each year against the seasonal condition of vernalgia. Personally I find the best treatment includes pointless outdoor activities enjoyed simply for their pleasure—frisbee tossing among friends, a stroll (people don’t stroll enough anymore), a bask on the lawn on a sunny afternoon.

A final gem I discovered: “Sherry’s Grammar List” at https://languageandgrammar.com/common-grammar-errors/. I have added this address to my favorites tab. Included is a handy index to common grammatical questions and mistakes:

When to use “affect” and when “effect?”
Using “had,” the past perfect tense.
There, their, they’re.
Beside/besides.
A.M./P.M. (unfortunately—to my way of thinking—she does not point out the correct use of 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight; there is no 12:00 A.M. nor 12:00 P.M., but that’s my losing fight).
Incredible/incredulous.

I trust the third reference is of immediate and practical help in your studies. The other two are a reminder to keep learning and have fun.

These definitions and many other delightful entries can be found in the Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, New York: The World Publishing Company, 1911; available online at http://www.hermetics.org/pdf/Bierce_Ambrose_-_The_Devil-s_Dictionary.pdf and at https://archive.org/details/cu31924014323772 (several other online copies available).

What Do You Expect from Your Instructors?

Last week I asked you what you expected from your education. I asked you to think about why you are here at UAMS, and whether your experience is meeting your expectations. I also advised you to reflect on and alter your expectations from time to time, because when your expectations are aligned with your experience, your motivation and satisfaction increases. And, motivation and satisfaction are important for academic success.

This week, I want you to think about what you expect from your instructors. Instructors tend to be the most visible representatives of a college or university, and students will often base their evaluation of their program on their opinions of their instructors. And, while instructors have a lot of expectations for their students, those same students arrive in class with expectations for the faculty.

What Do You Expect from Your Instructors

The expectations you bring into the classroom are often influenced by your experience with your previous instructors. You will probably want them to do the things your favorite instructors did in the past. For example, you might have had an instructor whose passion for their subject inspired your curiosity, or sparked your interest in your current field of study. It would be natural for you to expect the same passion from your instructors at UAMS. At the same time, we all remember that professor whose class we endured, probably because it was a requirement. It may have been an important course, but you missed out because of the way it was taught. You are probably expecting your instructors to do better than that in your current program.

Keep in mind that your instructor can’t be aware of the expectations you bring into his/her classroom. Every student is different, and their expectations are unique to their personality and prior experience. In addition, student expectations are rarely shared with the instructor. These factors often lead to a disconnect when expectations make contact with reality.

When Expectations Meet Reality

So, what should you do when reality doesn’t live up to your expectations? First, remember why you are here and what you want to get out of your educational journey. Renewing your commitment to your academic journey will help reduce the impact of misplaced for unmet expectations.

Second, reach out to your instructors. Ask questions, engage in discussion, and seek guidance. They are masters of their professions, and they want to help you achieve your professional and academic goals. They have chosen to teach – to invest in future generations of professionals – and they want to do their best. So, don’t decide to disconnect. Reach out instead.

Finally, remember what you have the power to change. You can change how you react and what you do. Take steps to make your learning more satisfying and enriching. Connect with your peers to go deeper into the content. Look for places to volunteer, where you can interact with professionals on the front lines. Find opportunities to connect what you are learning to real world experience. You don’t have to make a huge time commitment to deepen both your learning and experience.

You bring expectations of your instructors to class, and sometimes the reality will far exceed those expectations. When it doesn’t, don’t become discouraged. Know why you are there, what you want, and take steps to make things better.

What Do You Expect from Your Education?

Why are you at UAMS? No, really, why did you choose us for your education? Educators talk a lot about expectations, usually referring to the expectations they have for their students. But faculty expectations for education is only part of the equation. Students bring their own expectations, and they should be examined as well.

It’s Your Education

Okay, so it’s your education. What are you expecting? You started this journey for a reason. What was it? What are you expecting to get out of it? These questions will determine the time and effort you are willing devote to your schooling, so you need to ask yourself, what do you expect?

Look, a health sciences education isn’t easy. There are books full of facts that your instructors say that you need to know. You are expected to learn a wide variety of procedures that will need to become second nature. You have to grapple with ethical issues that will inform your future practice. Will it be enough? Will you be ready? Or, is it all too much? The answers to these questions depend partly on your expectations.

If you don’t know why you are here, or what you want, you won’t be able to answer these questions. Sometimes, people choose a path because they don’t have anything better in mind. They adopt a “why not” attitude. They drift through courses, not unhappy, but not fully engaged either. Without a set of reasonable expectations based what they want out of their education, they can’t be truly successful.

So, do you know what you expect and why?

Examine your Expectations

Take time to think about your expectations for your education. How informed are they? Did you know what your education would be like? Will it get you where you want to be? Were you realistic? If you know why you are here and what you want, but find that some of your expectations were unrealistic, then maybe you need to modify your expectations.

Expectations should change a bit when they encounter reality. Like so many things in life, you rarely know what to expect until you have at least some experience behind you. So expect to make some adjustments. When your expectations are aligned with your experience, your motivation and satisfaction increases. If they don’t align, you get frustrated, your courses seem pointless, and your motivation plummets. So, stop often to adjust your expectations.

Own your expectations, and be aware of how they affect you. Stay engaged with your education. If something seems pointless, ask about its significance. If you are inspired by an idea or assignment, connect it to as many other experiences as you can. Look for ways to have your expectations met, and don’t wait on others to do it for you. After all, it’s your education.