August Physician Spotlight: Lukasz Kowalczyk, MD
Who or what inspired you to become a physician?
I was inspired to become a physician by my family, especially my mom, who had many health issues. Watching her struggle with her health and our family's dedication to an active lifestyle made me curious about the human body. This curiosity led me to ask questions about how we can keep people healthy, maintain their well-being, and, most importantly, how we can help when health issues arise.
Briefly describe a "peak experience" from your career: interaction with a mentor, memorable patient, etc.
One of the peak experiences in my career was when I realized the importance of personalizing the patient experience with little details. It’s so gratifying to see how much patients appreciate the little details such asking how to pronounce their name. It makes such a difference in building trust and report with them. Another peak experience was applying my knowledge about medicine and GI to build a scheduling software system. It was so gratifying to see the dissemination of evidence-based care across an organizations, improving the scheduling of patients and allowing others to benefit from the knowledge I had accumulated.
What led you to become involved in El Paso County Medical Society leadership?
I became involved in the El Paso County Medical Society because, as physicians, we have become more isolated in our daily routines and don't interact as much as we should. One of the most significant committees I am a part of is peer review, where we gather with colleagues from various disciplines to hear different perspectives and voices on thinking through problems. EPCMS embodies the same spirit; it's about coming together and hearing other perspectives on the same problem. These interactions, discussions, and socializing are vital because we need to connect more. Your involvement in peer review is not just beneficial but also integral to the medical community.
What advice would you give to physicians-in-training who are just starting their careers?
I recommend engaging in activities beyond medicine for physicians-in-training who are just starting their careers. Medicine is vast and complex. The more you can learn about something tangential, such as economics of healthcare, payments, IT, etc the realm of medicine, the better. This knowledge will help to build a better understanding of how to navigate medicine and build additional specialization. As high as the bar is for us to know a lot of things to care for patients, understanding something beyond the practice of medicine is incredibly useful. It will empower you and enlighten your practice.
What do you enjoy doing outside of medicine?
Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time with my family and watching my kids grow up. I also love working on things that could help the system of medicine or the systems of practice of medicine to help make an impact, including designing new systems that can help someone else do their job to care for a patient more effectively.