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Surviving Adversity and Embracing New Challenges

Patricia E. Molina, M.D., Ph.D.
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans

Life is a compilation of predictable and unpredictable events that along the way make us recognize our strengths and weaknesses. Every now and then, it also provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our journey and, for us scientific and perpetual inquisitors, a chance to analyze our actions and their consequences and to derive lessons that will help us move along our course or that we can share with those around us to help them in their adventure. The never-ending merry-go-round upon which we jump each daybreak, and from which often we forget to get off at the end of the day or during the weekend, sometimes makes it hard to focus on particular events or circumstances and derive knowledge and wisdom from them. However, every once in a while that merry-go-round can be brought to a screeching halt and impact our thoughts enough to provide a time for introspection and reflection upon the lessons we have acquired along the way. For me, one of those moments was August 29, 2005, the day Hurricane Katrina made landfall, a crisis for which no one had planned or prepared and that no one could have prevented.

This narrative is not intended to be a sad and depressing story. It is more a discourse of the lessons I learned along my career, as well as those I learned from those around me during that time of crisis, and how they became survival skills that led to embracing new challenges. My hope is that, without going through the same crisis, others can reflect upon skills I learned and approaches I took that may enhance their chance for success or simply help them get on the right track for a productive professional life or career.

The early response to a crisis is often one of disbelief and denial, followed by relief and acceptance, and, after some time, a period of uncertainty and speculation on what the future holds. The swift and effective response of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) community, moving the operations for the school of medicine to Baton Rouge at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in less than a month's time, securing a Cineplex where nursing lectures were delivered before the 10:00 am matinee, relocation of research laboratories and investigators to labs and homes of generous scientists across the country, and the housing of displaced students and faculty on a cruise ship so that our teaching and research mission could continue, was only one side of the story. Reentry to our city and campus brought about the sad confirmation of the degree of devastation that our institution had suffered and the bare bones operations that we were left with to operate. Some faced the grueling task of rescuing their possessions, relocating their families, and rebuilding their homes. Many left never to return, decimating the faculty and leaving a huge gap in our teaching, administration, and research activities.

It was not easy to come back to our laboratories and face the reality of the loss of tissue samples, reagents, and cell lines. The loss of valuable productive time made a huge dent in our ability to maintain our level of productivity. Logistical issues, such as geographical distances between our lab members, added to the burden. Thus, the first 6 months of 2006 were filled with much anguish and depression. Coming together brought to light the difficulties and incalculable losses that many of our friends and colleagues had experienced as well. That made it selfish to complain about our own lost tissues and reagents. So we were each left with our losses, deserted hallways, unfinished projects, and studies that would never be completed due to the disruption we had suffered.

So how did we survive? How did we get back on track? In looking back, I reflected on the circumstances that took such a dramatic turn, on where the opportunities were presented, and how I was able not only to survive but thrive following the crisis. Clearly, the development of survival skills throughout my professional life helped me to face the challenges that the hurricane presented. So allow me to give you just a brief history of my professional life that will reflect the crossroads at which I have had to make choices that led me down this path. I think, in a lot of ways, it was those lessons that helped me face the adversity and led me to embrace new challenges.

Few students I have met have expressed a clear and determined goal for their professional development like I expressed ever since I was in grade school: to become a physician and specialize in pediatrics. My conviction was strong enough to get me half way, but not enough to prevent me from taking a 360 degree turn at the completion of medical school. For female scientists and professionals, in general, it is often taboo to speak about our desire for a family life and discuss the adaptations that we go through along the way to fit into our lives those things we so much desire to fulfill ourselves. Marrying a classmate during medical school, followed by the birth of our first son led me to search for an alternative approach to a residency in pediatrics to fulfill my professional aspirations. That alternative pathway led to a career in research that was achieved through a careful and artful balance for a dual-career couple with individual goals and aspirations and a strong commitment to each other's advancement. Thus, sequential moves through academic institutions and frequent redirection of research focus was necessary to fit into both basic science and clinical departments along the way.

Why do I share this with you and why do I think this has value? Because, in my view, those changes, whether voluntary or not, forced me to retool each time. They taught me to rebuild networks and maintain old ones alive. They showed me the need to reinvent and redirect my focus in order to remain competitive. They taught me the value of team work! All along, I was in training for what lay ahead. Since then, and more importantly following Hurricane Katrina, what were the events or circumstances that I can identify as significant? Bruce McKeown in an article entitled "A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste" states that "A crisis is not the same as a disaster (although a disaster may prompt a crisis). It is a 'crucial or decisive point or situation' or a 'turning point'. Such turning points force a choice between inertia and innovation." (1)

In my case, it was the refusal to allow myself to be dragged down by the inertia that took over that I can identify as being the principal factor in my successful outcome following Hurricane Katrina. So what are some of the attitudes that I endorsed during that time that made a difference?

Stayed Involved

It was important for me to feel part of a greater whole and have an identity that allowed me to remain an active part of the community. The value of a scientific society has never been clearer to me than 3 days after the hurricane struck and when all our cell phones, computers, servers and networks were down, the American Physiological Society set up a communication system for scientists in the community to reconnect and regroup. This allowed me to communicate with my colleagues, continue journal review activities, fulfill my NIH review commitments, and participate in the APS strategic planning meeting barely 2 months following the hurricane. An important lesson to be learned: networking is a critical skill for survival and success. Those networks that I had developed throughout the previous years were invaluable in reinstating my identity as a member of the scientific community.

Research Your Options and Recognize Your Strengths

I was fortunate to receive multiple offers for lab space, for employment, and for housing. Some of those were tempting, as they would have brought an easy way out of the hole we were in. But I had students, post-docs, and technicians who depended on me. I had colleagues who were counting on me to do my share of teaching. The sense of value to my department and institution was unequivocal. I could fill a need by staying and fighting throughout the recovery period. With time, the message became clear. I could make a difference!

Discipline and Focus

Perhaps one of the hardest things to do was to come in to work when the hallways were empty, our animal care facilities were not yet opened, the elevators were not working, and our libraries were closed. Displaced faculty and students and gloom and depression among staff and faculty all led to a somber work environment. Many times stretching the work day to 4:00 pm was a painful challenge. But day after day, I forced myself to get dressed and go up the dark staircase to the 7th floor to face another day of pretending things would be ok. My focus on making the best of the situation kept me from the distractions of the environment.

Creativity and Flexibility

More importantly, devising creative ways to move ahead kept me busy. Hard decisions had to be made on what projects we needed to cut our losses and never complete and which ones were worth starting all over from scratch. The NIH provided much needed support and rescued many of our laboratories. In many cases, the projects had to change focus dramatically due to the losses incurred, and it was decisions made at that stage that dictated a project's survival.

Sense of Community and Team Member

The pain and suffering resulting from the personal and professional losses suffered as a result of the hurricane brought to our department a sense of community and a unifying strength in which commitments were made to work as a team, stronger than before! We had made history in overcoming such adversities and plugging along the way. It was that dedication of our faculty and the pressing need to move ahead that led me to the commitment to serve as Chair of the Department of Physiology, the same department that was instrumental in my development from a physician to a scientist. I am proud of the people I work for. They exemplify the ultimate commitment to science and teaching. They are devoted and loyal. They stuck together during the tough times and I can only hope that my energy will ensure that we can continue to grow in the years ahead and serve as a model of survival and thriving following a crisis.

Positive Attitude

Finally, it would be a disservice if I failed to state the importance of maintaining a positive attitude during adversity. Sometimes maintaining that attitude when I would go to a scientific meeting and see how much progress other labs were doing in their work, or how great a scientific presentation would be, or just how clean a city would look was enough to bring me almost to tears of despair. But each time someone would ask how we were doing, I would say: "We are doing great! We are slowly recovering and we are getting back on our feet!" Our city and our campus attest to the tenacity of our people and the commitment to the mission of education and scientific discovery.

Keys

So what can I pass on from what I have learned?

• Plan ahead. Not always possible but imagine different scenarios and how you would respond to them.
• Develop strong networks. They will be the safety net that reminds you of your place in the scientific community.
• Be flexible and creative. In situations like this, you may be called upon to completely change the focus of your research or your scientific activities. Be ready to retool and learn new things.
• Develop confidence in your abilities to deal with adversity. Organize your thoughts, focus your actions, and do not waver.
• Share your experiences and your lessons. Something that may seem trivial to your life experience may have a significant impact on others at different stages of their careers.
• Prepare yourself to be ready to take the challenge and lead!

In reflecting on the course of action taken following the storm, I came across a quote by President Richard M. Nixon (2): "The easiest period in a crisis situation is actually the battle itself. The most difficult is the period of indecision -- whether to fight or run away. And the most dangerous period is the aftermath. It is then, with all his resources spent and his guard down, that an individual must watch out for dulled reactions and faulty judgment." Clearly, we have all experienced that period of indecision. It is what we each made of our situation that made a difference in recovery and is leading our path to success today.

References

1. McKeown, M. A crisis is a terrible thing to waste. Management Issues. The Truth About Innovation. 12 Nov 2008. http://www.management-issues.com/2008/11/12/opinion/a-crisis-is-a-terrible-thing-to-waste.asp

2. Nixon, R.M. Six Crisis. 1962. http://quotationsbook.com/quote/9227/

Comments

I applaud Dr. Molina and her lab members for their dedication to working through such a devastating time in New Orleans, and also for sharing this very difficult experience with us. Although many of us have not experienced the adversity that has been discussed in this article, we can learn valuable lessons from Dr. Molina's experience.

I think that Dr. Molina's discussion of developing networks is extremely important for scientists, researchers, faculty, and students alike. Having strong (and meaningful) networks of colleagues and friends can be important not only for helping us overcome adversity but also for dealing with the constant challenges in our careers. For additional information about the importance of social support on health and well-being, consider reading about some of the research conducted by Dr. John Cacioppo and his colleagues at the University of Chicago. You can find links to several interesting publications at this website: http://psychology.uchicago.edu/people/faculty/cacioppo/pubs.shtml.

Angela J. Grippo
Northern Illinois University

I read the February column by Dr. Molina with tremendous personal interest, and her insightful observations have reminded me of important life lessons that can be forgotten if one does not allow oneself time for introspection. The development and maturation of survival skills is critical for both personal and professional success, and I feel Dr. Molina does an excellent job of illustrating this point and demonstrating that the same skills may be applied in multiple different arenas. The story of New Orleans and Katrina does much to foster my faith in the human race and the resilience of people who will both endure and offer much to their neighbor in times of need and distress. As deadlines and tenure reviews loom, counting the number of things that "prevented" or "distracted" me from achieving one goal or another is a way less productive use of my time than assessing what needs to be done and how best to achieve it. It is clear from Dr. Molina's account that New Orleans moved and solved instead of wondering and wallowing. I also loved the distinction between a "crisis" and a "disaster" - so often they are viewed as one and the same. The attitudes and approaches that worked for Dr. Molina in this trying time are certain to work for many others in many circumstances.

Kristin L. Gosselink
University of Texas at El Paso

Fortunately, a natural disaster such as that in New Orleans is something that most of us will face once in a lifetime, if at all. Nevertheless, such events help us put into perspective how most of our "problems" are really inconveniences or disappointments. Even so, they can have an emotional impact at the time. One that nearly every newly-independent scientist experiences is that first rejection, be it a manuscript or a grant proposal. Few of us have sufficient confidence in ourselves not to experience some self-doubt in response to the critiques. Moreover, the emotional reaction can include depression, anger, or denial. I was taught to enforce a strict 48-hour cooling-off period after reading any set of critiques, good or bad. The extra time gives a chance for reflection that can prevent an ill-advised e-mail or a hasty decision. With some emotional detachment, we can treat a harsh review as a new challenge (to borrow from the title of Dr. Molina's article) and work to develop a more- persuasive, more-rigorous product.

Thomas A. Pressley
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Dr. Molina's article on facing challenges presented several excellent approaches for dealing with the adversity that we are all bound to face in our careers and personal life.  In particular, I agree with Dr. Molina that networking is one of the most important skills we can develop for success in any career.  Countless times I have called on a colleague's help to deal with the stress of a new job, respond to a reviewers comments and/or brainstorm for new grant ideas.  I cannot imagine where I would be if not for the support and guidance of my network. 

The other point I found helpful is the advice to maintain a positive attitude.  Although we always hear this type of advice it can be quite hard to remain optimistic when our grants are not funded, papers are rejected, or teaching evaluations are less than positive. On the days when I feel I have hit a dead-end and second guess my career choice, I try to remind myself of the anonymous quote that the bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you refuse to take the turn. Despite my often daily struggle to remain optimistic without clinging to false hope, I try to find ways to see what is around the bend and this can often involve calling on friends and colleagues for support and advice. 

Kimberly A. Huey
Drake University

  
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