I was reading a profile on a neonatologist that included the quote above and it resonated with me. I’ve often been told that I’m “too nice.” I’m certainly someone who doesn’t like to offend, or impose on anyone and will do my best not to do so. But that can also hold me back in that it keeps me from being what others perceive as assertive. And the more I think about it, the more I realize I have to be proactive. My kindness and easy-going nature is not an “issue” that must be dealt with, but as a woman in medicine it is certainly something I need to acknowledge. There is often a double standard for women in general: risk being labeled bossy (or worse) by being assertive, or passive by being a normal person.

As I approach third year and the rest of my life in clinical medicine, I am committed to being more assertive while remaining kind and compassionate. Physicians are entrusted with patients’ health and lives. It requires a great deal of strength, force, and confidence to act in your patient's’ best interest no matter what. That means fighting for your patients while also listening, and empathizing with them. It’s all about striking a balance.

At my core I am a kind person. I am also a strong person. I can do extraordinary things. There are many interpretations of what being bold with your kindness can mean, but to me it means being bold with who I am and using it to elevate my goals, not hold them back.

So, whatever you are, be that. And do it boldly!

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