A Career for the Soul

One of the benefits of this society is that we live a long time. For the first time in American history, we're living in excess of 70 years. This means that a growing number of people are launching second careers rather than retiring to Arizona or Florida.

For most of us, first careers involves doing something that resonates with the body and mind ... you're interested in it and can make money. A second career involves something that resonates with your soul.

In my role as a complementary and alternative medicine practitioner, I have a unique opportunity to discuss second careers with my patients. Quite often the second career is very different than their first career. For a second career, people tend to move toward activities from which they get personal satisfaction and can help others. For a number of my patients, this entails learning to practice some area of complementary and alternative medicine.

The main attraction to complementary and alternative medicine is not whether it works better than traditional medicine, but that it is more hands-on. In my opinion, one of the great failings of traditional medicine has been the increasing separation between patient and health-care provider. There are significant benefits in taking more time with the patient ... to get to know him better than simply a diagnosis and a lab result.

Almost by definition, complementary and alternative medicine is more personal and has greater direct contact between the patient and provider than traditional medicine. However, unlike much of traditional medicine, this is not a one-way street. Both patient and provider are equal partners, and often the patient will determine what therapies he feels are most beneficial. In this type of interaction, both the patient and provider benefit.

In the past several years, I have had a number of nurses as well as physicians ask me how they can become part of the complementary and alternative medicine community. Although they enjoy what they're doing in traditional medicine, they feel it's missing the most important reason they went into medicine -- humanity.

The desire for human-to-human interaction is very strong. Not only are health-care providers turning toward complementary and alternative medicine, but also it seems to be a preferred second career for those in business and teaching. I know several business people who, as a second career, are looking toward massage, acupuncture, art therapy and other alternative therapies. Their desire is to reconnect with others at a personal level.

The common denominator in most second career choices is a strong desire to share one's life with others ... in an increasingly technological society, what a wonderful societal evolution.

Patrick B. Massey, M.D., Ph.D., is medical director for alternative and complementary medicine for Alexian Brothers Hospital Network.

Source: Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. Powered by Yellowbrix.