You Don't Know What You Don't Know

I had a humbling experience this morning. I logged into the ACHE (American College of Healthcare Executives) website to update some of my personal info and to look up a couple of the speakers at the Notre Dame Bioethics conference next month. I stumbled across a CEO and President about whom I've heard rave reviews. In addition to successfully running a large metropolitan hospital system, this guy is a professional writer. An amazing writer. I lurked around his site and immediately realized how much I don't know about hospital administration, medicine, and life in general.

So it's true: the more educated you become, the more you realize how little you know.

I bookmarked this website and hope to visit often. I also wonder how many hours this guy has in a day; it would seem that running a hospital system would occupy most of one's waking hours! He discusses clinical stories, clinical failures, quality control and assurance programs, JCAHO safety regulations, and bioethics, areas in which I need to cultivate some background knowledge.

The divide between my coursework and "real life" experience is massive. A high GPA does not automatically mean I will be a successful administrator. In light of spring training, I compare this to baseball. I might be a great performer at the collegiate level, but how will I perform in the farm leagues, let alone in the big leagues? The next level involves a huge increase in hard work, persistence, and determination. I think there is another, rather immeasurable, notion of transitional strength; a person must be able to "step it up" when circumstances demand. I hope my skills and talents translate to success in the 'big leagues.'

I have so much to learn, if only that I've realized how much I don’t even know I need to know!