Thanksgiving

Today, I am thankful for my education. I have been in school for 80% of my life, a remarkable investment of time, money, and labor by my parents, the public school system, a private college, a public medical school, countless teachers, professors, and teaching assistants, peers, and patients. I gripe as much as anyone else, but the persistent encouragement of my mentors has really helped me through those doors afforded by education. Very few people are as lucky as I am. Some fortunate confluence of societal, social, and circumstantial factors have gotten me to where I am now. In understanding disparities in our society today, education plays such a fundamental role. We need to advocate for those who can't advocate for themselves. Improving educational disparities is as much a part of improving health care in America as research, expanded coverage, more primary care, preventive medicine, and any of the other major health care reform concepts. Education both directly and indirectly empowers patients to take control of their lives, medical decisions, and illnesses. I am thankful for my education. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!