Dr. Kuppermann in Nepal 1987.
Dr. Kuppermann in Nepal again in 2015, after the earthquake.
career, as I have been able to make a contribution to society, help raise a lovely family, and have had many adventures along the way.
"You can dabble early in your career, but then go for the game changer, the project that will help move the dial in the care of acutely ill and injured children." mentorship I have tried to provide to the next generation of emergency care researchers. We all stand on the shoulders of those who trained and influenced us, and I would like to think that I have been able to pay that forward. So, if I had to name one accomplishment about which I am most proud, it is that I have been able to mentor so many outstanding individuals, who in turn have taught me, and who will go on to improve the way we care for patients and will go on to mentor others.
What do you find most rewarding about the work you do? The reason I do what I do, from research to mentorship, to running a large department, is to impact the care of acutely ill and injured children. That is my professional raison d'être.
What’s a valuable lesson you’ve learned from your patients? The power of the human spirit can be breathtaking. The will to endure, and the capacity to have grace and courage against all odds can be humbling.
What’s a valuable lesson you’ve learned from your trainees? Great communication is essential to everything important in life, from professional mentorship, to family happiness, to great friendship.
Tell us about a particularly satisfying moment you had while training a student or mentee. There are many. But a common thread to these is helping guide/ mentor an individual from junior investigator, to colleague, to senior investigator and who then becomes herself/himself a mentor to others.
If you couldn’t do PEM, what else could you see yourself doing? Fundamentally, I feel that life is an adventure with many opportunities, and I think I would have been happy pursuing several career choices. I love to write—so I might have been a writer. I took theatre classes in college and considered a career in theatre for a bit. However, I have been extremely satisfied with my
What do you do to manage stress, achieve work-life balance, and contribute to your overall health and well-being? Wow—that one is complicated. But I can tell you what makes me happy and greatly contributes to my well-being: I love being with my wife Nicole and three daughters, Maya, Elie and Cianna. I love traveling the world and having adventures that are “off the beaten path.” In my adult life (since medical school), I have spent nearly three years living and working oversees, including a long stint working in Nepal, where I have had ongoing collaborations for nearly three decades. With my family, I have taken sabbaticals nearly every seven years during my career (London, Buenos Aires) including an upcoming sabbatical to Spain. Those sabbaticals have provided periods of mindfulness, reflection, family adventure and productivity. I exercise five days per week with a group of friends— social time and exercise time. Fundamental. Finally, part of my morning routine is to think of three things for which I am grateful, and share them with Nicole and my children. I have been doing that for years. We need reminders and to be mindful of all the good things in our lives.
What experiences in your life outside of medicine do you feel have made you a better educator? My work overseas in Nepal, Brazil, and Argentina has brought perspective to my working life. I try not to take things for granted, and I am aware that brilliant and wonderful people emerge all around the world. As I educate others, I have a constant awareness of the world’s potential, and its beauty, adventures, and challenges.
How did you first become involved with SAEM? Although I am a PEM physician, I have always felt at home at the SAEM, starting from my time as a fellow 25 years ago. The SAEM meetings have always been full of educational activities and opportunities to learn about research and collaborate with like-minded people.
At the end of your career, for what would you like to be remembered? I would like to be remembered as someone who helped to “turn the dial” on the care of acutely ill and injured children, and who mentored others to turn it even further. I would also like to be remembered as someone who took big chances to answer big research questions in my academic life, and spoke out strongly when I felt it necessary to do so. And finally, I would like to be remembered as someone who took the time with junior investigators, to gently encourage, coax, support, and befriend.
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