Academia, as well as life in general, is a strange mix of learning, doing, and teaching. The true innovators are those that are able to balance all three. Learning must come first. Hone your craft, incorporate new techniques and new knowledge. Then do. Create and cultivate. Finally pass on your knowledge and skills to those behind you. Bring them alongside you and motivate them to become excellent in their own rite. In the past I’ve done a lot of learning, a fair amount of doing, and some teaching. The more I do and teach, the more I realize how incredible the teachers and mentors are that are able to both teach and do simultaneously. Attendings (Supervising Physicians) are tasked with both maintaining patient care at a high level as well as teaching the residents and medical students who are training under them. The best attendings meld the two together seamlessly using patient care to train residents and utilizing residents to accomplish patient care. This is true in many areas of life. In research, in business, in education, those affecting the most change are those leaders who can teach and do together. Those to whom teaching is doing and doing is teaching. Learn. Do. Teach.
JR.Stanley 