Peter “Rocky” Samuel MD, MBA, Associate Director, US Acute Care Solutions
My company, US Acute Care Solutions, maintains the reputation as an employer of choice for female clinicians. This is a position I value, because a clinician workforce that accurately matches the make-up of its patients, and society, is likely to perform better both in the ED and at the bottom line.
But for all the talk about diversity and inclusion, what does a diverse and inclusive workforce really mean for me, a male? Well, for starters, the policies that allow USACS to claim the mantle as a destination employer for women don’t extend to women only. Take our parental leave policy, for example.
I remember my wife and I planning our wedding during my residency. It was no easy feat to work around all my residency obligations, as many readers can surely attest. But now, five years later, we’re planning to have a child. We’re about to take the complexities of planning and scheduling to another level. But when that child is born, I receive two weeks of paid leave, plus three months of self-scheduling. More importantly, my medical director and physician colleagues are supportive of this, and understand how significant their contribution to covering shifts affects my life, and my family’s well-being.
I am happier as a USACS attending because I know that I am a part of a company that understands the value of these priceless life moments that need the dedicated time they deserve.
Our company is building a foundation where all our providers are valued and supported to be the clinicians, mothers and fathers they want to be. In fact, I have a colleague in Cincinnati who is a foster parent planning to adopt. I know he’s set to write in this same space next month, so I won’t ruin his great story. But given what you know about USACS, do you think his experience will be any less supportive.
This type of support is an investment in our future with limitless long-term gains. Moreover, our culture of support and personal growth for all genders, ethnicities and backgrounds fosters a unique cohesiveness within our teams and nationwide.
As I learned in residency, if my spiritual life and family life are not right, my abilities as a doctor suffer. By caring for me as a person, and not just as a shift-worker, I can deliver better care to my patients. And in the end, that’s the job we signed up to do.