Alumni Spotlight – Priorities & Professionalism Lessons gained at ACR

Name: Daniel Plack

Worked at ACR Home on: Lydia West and Cummings

Undergrad: University of Northwestern- St. Paul

Post grad: University of Minnesota Medical School, Internship at Hennepin County Medical Center, Anesthesiology Residency at Mayo Clinic

Career: I plan to pursue an academic career in anesthesiology after completing subspecialty training in cardiac anesthesiology and critical care.

Any specific skills you learned at ACR, that has transferred into your current schooling or career? At Lydia West, de-escalation techniques and managing behaviors was a large part of what made that job unique. Although I don’t encounter violent patients routinely, knowing how to use body language, calm voice, and distraction techniques has been helpful. This has been especially helpful with patients and families that are frustrated with their health care. I think that my time at Lydia West also taught me how to have fun at work while remaining professional. Finding ways to enjoy your work and have fun with coworkers can be protective against burnout.

What challenges are you facing in your current role?  The challenges of my current role involve keeping my patients alive during major and minor surgeries with the use of deep knowledge of physiology and pharmacology. There are challenges outside the operating room as well, including work-life balance and finishing research projects. Physicians generally tend to be very busy people, both due to the demands of our profession and as a result of our own choices. Although busyness can be exhausting, many prefer to be busy and build their schedules in that way intentionally, for better or for worse. My time at ACR during college taught me a lot about priorities in managing my schedule at school, at work, and at home.