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Lynch: A Physician-Teacher with a Humanitarian Twistby Dana Benson 
Dr. Garrett "Rush" Lynch Dr. Garrett "Rush" Lynch is a frequent recipient of teaching awards that recognize outstanding faculty members at Baylor College of Medicine. In fact, he's won just about every teaching award that exists—some multiple times. People describe him as a born teacher. Even he said he always knew he wanted to teach. Teaching, however, is not his only forte. Just as important to him is his role as a physician—a role he assumes as easily as he does that of teacher. And now—to go along with all his teaching awards—he has been given Baylor College of Medicine's top honor for physicians—the Ben and Margaret Love Foundation Bobby Alford Award for Academic Clinical Professionalism. Professionalism and humanismThe award recognizes a BCM physician for professionalism and humanism and the ability to serve as a role model for these qualities in the practice of medicine. Lynch is professor of medicine–hematology and oncology and holds the Dan L. Duncan Endowed Chair at BCM. Previous awardees include Dr. Bobby Alford, BCM's chancellor for whom it is named, and the late Dr. Ralph D. Feigin, chair of pediatrics and a former president of the College. Lynch works hard to model what it is to be a good physican to medical students and trainees by emphasizing the principles of medicine. "Rush is an amazing physician and educator," said Dr. C. Kent Osborne, director of the Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center at BCM. "Caring for sick patients with cancer and helping their families and teaching students, residents and fellows the practice, art and science of medicine has been his life. He has many grateful patients and families, and he has influenced the careers of hundreds of physicians in the Houston region and nationally." 28 years on BCM facultyLynch, whose history at Baylor includes 28 years on the faculty as well as attending medical school here, said he is honored and appreciates the support and respect that faculty and award committee members have shown him by selecting him for the award. It means a lot to him because he takes the concept of "clinical professionalism" very seriously. "What that means to me is dedication to patients in all aspects, both in the public and private sector, in the outpatient and clinical arenas," Lynch said. "It means putting patients, their families and their concerns first. I think it means communicating very effectively with patients, being available at all times and giving compassionate care to them." Learning to be a good physicianLearning and honing the nuances that make a good physician is a lifelong process, Lynch noted. It starts in medical school, where students learn by mentorship and observation, and then they develop the skills further in residency by assuming the role of physician. The skills are fine-tuned even more with age and experience, he said. "As you get older, you have a better understanding of why patients may be making the treatment decisions they're making, so you can guide them better. The more life experiences you have and the more patients you've worked with and dealt with, that makes you a more empathetic physician." Lynch works hard to model what it is to be a good physician to medical students and trainees by emphasizing the principles of medicine. These can be as mundane as conducting a good history and physical. They can be as rigorous as learning how to continue to care for a patient through the course of his or her disease. They can encompass empathy and humanism as he communicates with patients and families. He tries to find the "teaching moment" in all these activities that encompass the life of a busy physician. Beyond lecturesTeaching doesn't have to be a formal lecture, he explained. It can be pointing out a historical finding, a portion of a physical exam or discussing the possible side effects of a drug. Lynch conducts rotations at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, The Methodist Hospital, Ben Taub General Hospital and at the Baylor Clinic. "Every patient encounter has a teaching moment that you can make the most of," Lynch said. Dr. Martha Mims, associate professor of medicine—hematology and oncology and chief of that section, trained under Lynch as a medical student and is now one of his colleagues. She calls him one of Baylor's "unsung heroes." "He is just a fantastic doctor," she said. "He has encyclopedic knowledge, and he is extremely caring with his patients. Dr. Lynch is the hardest working physician I know and yet he always has time for students. He continues to mentor people well into their careers. A lot of people have gotten the benefit of his knowledge that have never even met him, because of all the students and residents he's trained." Lynch said that while he always knew he wanted to be a teacher, he didn't always know he would be a doctor. He first thought he would get a doctorate in English or math. But when he took a biology course in college, he started thinking about premed and soon discovered that it combined everything he liked about humanities and science. Humanities an important escapeHe manages to make the humanities an important part of his life outside of work, because he thinks that having outside interests is one of the keys to being a good physician-educator. Lynch is a theater aficionado and he is a member of two medical center book clubs. Dr. Ricardo Nuila, a resident in internal medicine, is a member of one of those book clubs. He has trained under Lynch since he was a medical student, and he said Lynch has always encouraged his interest in literature. "He's been an important mentor for me in that regard and in other ways," Nuila said. He described Lynch as a respectful teacher who is never intimidating. 
Dr. Stephen Greenberg (right), senior vice president and dean of medical education, presents Lynch with the Award for Clinical Professionalism. Lynch feels so strongly about establishing outside interests because it has helped him in his career. "It lets you get away from it all, and it really helps you with patient interaction and teaching," he said. "Because what you see when you go to the theater or when you read fiction is human emotion, the human condition and other people's life experiences. Everything you do in this escape actually nurtures you humanistically, and it gives you an increased sense of empathy, compassion and understanding of people from all walks of life." Always the teacher and physician, Lynch richly deserves his recent award. However, he would tell you that his reward comes from his patients, his students and the family of colleagues he has nurtured at Baylor College of Medicine. Lynch holds the Dan L. Duncan Chair. |
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Volume 5, Issue 1, Winter 2009 |
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