RxForSuccess Podcast- David G. Armstrong: The Storyteller

What a pleasure to participate with master interviewer Dr. Randy Cook in this great visit on the Rxforsuccess podcast.

219. The OBGYN: George Nowacek, MD – Rx for Success Podcast

What happens when a physician faces a devastating obstetrical outcome, crushing malpractice premiums, and the realization that the career path they've chosen is no longer sustainable? In this deeply personal and insightful episode of Rx for Success, host Dr. Randy Cook sits down with Dr. George Nowacek—an OBGYN practicing in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the newest addition to the MD Coaches team. Dr. Nowacek shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Virginia, to an old-school residency (pre-duty hour restrictions), to private practice in Macon, Georgia, and eventually to a fulfilling academic career at UNC. He opens up about the difficult decision to stop practicing obstetrics after a traumatic outcome, the financial pressures that influenced that choice, and the unexpected joy of pivoting to a GYN-only practice and later to academic medicine. Along the way, he offers profound wisdom on defining success on your own terms, cultivating relationships across a lifetime, and prioritizing the activities that charge your battery. Key Topics Discussed: Growing up with parents in education and discovering medicine as an "assumption" rather than a dramatic calling. The challenge of choosing a specialty with limited information in medical school. Why OBGYN appealed to his personality: every day is different (medicine, primary care, procedures, surgery). The reality of residency in the pre-duty hour era: survival mode, doubt, and learning on the fly. Reflections on duty hour restrictions and the evolution of medical training. The transition from residency to private practice: the "quantum jump" from trainee to the person in charge. The emotional and practical impact of a bad obstetrical outcome. How malpractice premiums (pre-caps) made obstetrics financially unsustainable. The decision to leave obstetrics and pivot to a GYN-only private practice. Being recruited into academic medicine at UNC Chapel Hill. The rewards of teaching: watching trainees grow from interns to chiefs. Discovering coaching through a grand rounds presentation and pursuing training. The importance of peer support for physicians who have experienced bad outcomes. Dr. Nowacek's three prescriptions for success: define success for yourself, cultivate relationships, and find what charges your battery. Guest Information: Dr. George Nowacek, MD – OBGYN, UNC Chapel Hill, Physician Coach, MD Coaches MD Coaches: mymdcoaches.com Relevant Links: MD Coaches: mymdcoaches.com Companion podcast: Life-Changing Moments with Dr. Dale Waxman American College of OBGYN (ACOG) Peer Support Programs

Dr. Armstrong’s Prescription for Success:

Number 1: Folks don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care: Show a sincere interest in the person in front of you, not just their problem..

Number 2: Don’t be a what I call a kiss up, kick down kind of person: Be the leader who knows the name of everyone that he or she sees when he or she is walking into work. Those interactions, those relationships are ultimately the most meaningful.

Number 3: Don’t procrastinate: Run your list and if you can get something done now, get it done now.

Number 4: Hard things are hard for a reason: Just because something is hard, doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile. If given the choice between doing that thing that’s hard and clocking out for the day, do the thing that’s hard and you’ll grow because you did.

Number 5: The best gift you can give anyone, besides your love, is perspective: Periodically, step back and try to regard what you’re doing. No matter how great your work, if you regard what you’re doing, you’ll find little bits and pieces you can tweak.

Number 6: Be a collector of mentors and learn from them: Pay them respect by seeking their advice and guidance.

Connect with Dr. Armstrong:

Email: armstrong@usa.net

Website: diabeticfootonline.com

Faculty website: https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/david-g-armstrong/

Notable Quotes from Dr. Armstrong’s interview

The greatest gift you can give people is to make them feel better.

A lot of the work we do in tissue repair and wound healing and limb preservation is treating people that do not have the gift of pain. So a lot of times, our success is often measured in millimeters and over months and years, not just in that one patient visit.

Nothing ruins a good surgery, like follow up.

I think, ultimately, we’re not judged by how many manuscripts we’ve written, how many lectures we’ve given and how many countries? How many cylinders are in our car, how many dollars are in our bank account, or how much money we’ve gotten in grants. All that’s great, and it’s fun to keep score on that stuff. But ultimately, it’s a fleeting thing. I think we’re judged by our personal progeny, both your children and your professional progeny.