Cassidy Dahn, MD
Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center / Albert Einstein, Montefiore Medical Center

Over the past four years, I have literally watched CIR change Boston Medical Center and its interaction and involvement of house staff on an administrative level. Our hospital has always been one that is led by the passions and leadership of residents and fellows, but in the last four years the appreciation, engagement and commitment from the administration and other staff has grown considerably.

It started primarily with the growth of hospital involvement in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QPS) Initiatives. CIR has a house staff council in place that assisted administration greatly in getting this movement off the ground on a hospital-wide level. The work between administration and house staff, primarily led by house staff, continues on a daily basis and the changes in the hospital system have been vast. Other groups have started to blossom with QPS as a framework including Social Determinants of Health (SDH) initiatives, addressing Institutional Racism, and others.

It has been amazing to see a powerful, passionate group of residents stand together and work together for what they believe in and make change. Having CIR present as a place where we can organize and put forth our power together has been extremely successful.

Being a member and leader within CIR these past few years, I have learned many things: I have honed my leadership, negotiation, communication and advocacy skills. I have grown a more powerful and skilled voice to stand up for what I believe in. I have gained extensive knowledge in QPS, SDH, and other passions of mine.

However, the single thing I have come to appreciate most is that there is indeed power in numbers and strength in passion and this to me, is what makes CIR what it is.

I would love to continue my service on the executive board of CIR and progress forward with the work that has begun this past year. There have been many changes in the foundation of the work that CIR supports including QPS, SDH, Institutional Racism, Advocacy and our political voice. There has also been a rejuvenated energy and passion toward physician wellness in which I’d love to be involved.

I would like to continue my work in many of the areas mentioned above. I have already begun discussions with wonderful collaborators for future work in the areas of QPS and Institutional Racism. I also hope to contribute to the New York region, the experience and education I’ve learned from leading the Massachusetts region.

I look forward to a career in medicine hinged not only on my clinical skills in daily patient care but also my expertise in the factors that influence my patients’ lives at the core. My training for patient care comes from my amazing education throughout medical school, residency, and now fellowship. But my training in improving a system, addressing the factors that play into the lives that each person leads, and having the skill to advocate and act on behalf of quality and equity is ongoing and largely comes from my experiences that CIR has lent me. It would be an honor to bring my knowledge, passions and never-ending energy to the CIR executive board next year. I would love to pay back just a small token of what CIR has given to me.