Page 24 - Demo

When I was an intern, Randy Hofbauer (G3 at the time) told me that working with Dr. Quaday was intense, but %u201cshe%u2019s who you want to be when you grow up.%u201d He was so right. I hope that someday I%u2019ll get there. She unapologetically raises the bar for herself and all around her. The void we are facing when she takes her very wellearned retirement will be immense. However, she has prepared us well.Coming up with a list of all Karen has taught me is daunting, but I%u2019ll give it a shot.%u2022 Read all the words in the email (co-credit to Lori Barrett on that one)%u2022 Details matter%u2022 Logic is a dangerous weapon%u2022 Schedule time with your spouse (while Jim was still working, they always met for a lunch date once a week)%u2022 Our job is hard and it%u2019s vital to have other things in our life%u2022 Be generous but discerning with your time (she carts little old ladies to lunch every week, she volunteers to teach M1 students, she%u2019s running for public office, etc.)%u2022 Just because there are things that are out of our control, you can still keep trying to make things better%u2022 Schedule the next meeting at the current meeting%u2022 Sometimes you just have to say your piece even if it isn%u2019t popular%u2022 Pick your battles wisely%u2022 Establish boundaries, communicate them openly, and enforce them%u2022 Don%u2019t overthink evaluation comments.Jessie Nelson (%u201804)My last week of residency Karen pulled a couple of pranks on me. How one lady manages to run operations and keep every room stocked with everything and also do pranks is beyond me. It was a slow Alpha morning, a hysterical patient was being rolled back. Covering their head, yelling nonsensically. Multiple staff gathered round, we were ready to deal with this. The patient jumped up and charged%u2026 it was Karen! She congratulated me on finishing residency and then proceeded to encourage me in the areas I was most uncomfortable. She is an icon. Minnesotans will surely feel her absence in the healthcare system. Rachael Nordby (%u201824)One of my early shifts intern year. Still figuring out the system. At one point Dr. Quaday looked at me and said simply %u201cJoe why is A3 still here%u201d. It was one of my early experiences with the importance of dispo-ing patients early! Joe Pasquerella (%u201824)This was a few years back, but I recall having to transfer a patient up to Regions. As the operator told me, %u201cPlease hold while I connect you with Dr. Quaday,%u201d my heart stopped as I realized I did not have a full set of vitals updated in the EMR. I had a tech run to the room who was able to get them to me as I stalled my conversation with Karen long enough to have them for her. Vitals are vital!Brian Roach (%u201814)When we think about Karen Quaday, we can%u2019t help but feel a deep sense of inspiration and gratitude. She has this incredible ability to see the whole person in her patients. For her, it%u2019s not just about treating medical issues; she genuinely takes the time to understand their stories and the unique paths they%u2019ve traveled. Her commitment goes well beyond individual care%u2014she has worked tirelessly throughout her career to push for systemic changes that ensure all patients receive the support and care they need. She encourages us to see and care for the whole person, consistently modeling this through her own example.Learning from Karen has truly been one of the highlights of our careers. She serves as a strong and influential role model for us young physicians, showing us what a meaningful and impactful career can look like for women in this field. We admire how she tangibly cares for her teams%u2014bringing Sanders caramels to shifts and making sure others take time to eat amidst the chaos of the ER before she takes a break herself. Her passion is at the heart of her patient care, embodying the type of physician we would trust to care for our own families and inspiring us to strive to become that kind of doctor ourselves.What stands out most is her unwavering dedication to getting patient care right. She is the kind of doctor we would want for our own families%u2014compassionate, thoughtful, and completely invested in the well-being of others. This blend of empathy, activism, and mentorship makes her truly special. We wholeheartedly believe her contributions deserve every accolade and more, as she leaves a lasting impact on all of us who have the privilege to learn from her.Enyioma Okechukwu (%u201819) and Priya Sury (%u201819)24 Emergency Medicine Residency 2024 Annual Report