It is humbling to assume someone with flank pain is a drug seeker, send him off to CT with only something for nausea and learn later there is a 5-mm obstructing stone.

We see many patients with real psychiatric illness, so it can be easy to label patients crazy. A humble doctor will be made the day that he or she learns the crazy old lady sent back to the ECF had a sodium of 118.

I believe EPs are particularly good at retracing our steps and owning our errors or failures in judgment. We know the complexities of caring for the undifferentiated ill patient. We understand that arrogance is our enemy and that respect for the unknown is the companion of wisdom.

Rick Warren teaches, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.” When we focus on the patient and the family to solve their questions and problems, we are at our best. Some days, I am tempted to raise my arms in victory after a successful day of rigorous patient care. I keep this in check, knowing that my astute diagnosis of an epidural abscess doesn’t mean I won’t miss the same diagnosis next week.

A certain amount of self-confidence is needed to practice our specialty. Without it we are trapped in a universe where every stone must be turned. The art in our practice is finding the balance between the confidence in our ability and the awareness of our limitations. The sweet spot is found after many successes and a smattering of humbling events that remind us of our humanity.

Be happy.

Dr. Baehren lives in Ottawa Hill, Ohio. He practices emergency medicine and is an assistant professor at the University of Toledo (Ohio) Medical Center. Your feedback is welcome at David.Baehren@utoledo.edu