Look back but march forward

 I think it is important to take some time and effort at every stage of your journey to look back at the successes and failures we have encountered. With time the successes may have faded in their effect and the failures may still be haunting you but they are a part of our past nevertheless. For me in dentistry it comes from looking at my clinical records and appreciating how far I have come. Improvement is a continuum and it comes in stages rather than a constant flow. Looking back I can see that there are diagnoses I have missed and procedures I have completed in a substandard way. These are more likely than not to work out fine as the next clinician will come in, judge my work and fix it up the best they can. If not then it isn't the end of the world either way. My mistakes have come at the cost of the patient but as well at the cost of my disappointment in what I have achieved. However the benefits of these mistakes are multiple in that it gives me the insight to ensure that I don't make the same mistake next time. Remember, our lives and careers are marathons not sprints and one stumble at the stat of our career shouldn't haunt us for the rest of it. Take the lessons on board and learn from it and hopefully if you do this enough times the rest of your career will be a fruitful and rewarding one.

I have been looking back at old emails I exchanged with a clinical instructor at university. He was happy to provide advice on cases with which I was struggling to plan for or couldn't manage a diagnosis. Looking at the records I sent him for his opinion I struggle to comprehend the lack of awareness I had at that point. Seemingly simple diagnoses were overlooked and poor treatment plans were proffered by myself. These were met with patience, understanding and a helpful hand. I see the same hesitance and inexperience in the students that I encounter and I hope to be able to treat them with the same level of support that I was offered by those who came before me.

Look back from time to time. It is important not to forget where you came from. But don't let the past bog you down. We must learn from the mistakes of the past, celebrate the wins and march forward with the certainty that although we won't triumph every time, we are certainly able to try harder than we did yesterday.