The Brain and All That Makes Us Human | Jay Wellons, MD

Sep 13, 2022

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Pediatric neurosurgeons manage some of the most complex diseases in children, operating on the delicate and precious organ that makes us essentially human. Jay Wellons, MD is Chief of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the author of All That Moves Us, a memoir that offers an intimate and gripping account of the triumphs, terrors, joys, and pathos he encounters on a daily basis. In this episode, Dr. Wellons joins us to discuss his path to neurosurgery by way of English literature and family medicine, his faith as an anchor amidst his challenging work, and reflections on what the human dramas involving the most vulnerable children he has cared for has taught him about resilience, courage, and grace under pressure.

In this episode, you will hear about:

A discussion of the range of procedures pediatric neurosurgeons perform - 1:58
How a fascination with neuroanatomy drew Dr. Wellons into neurosurgery, and how his literary studies have impacted his patient care - 3:58
The origin of Dr. Wellons’ book All That Moves Us and his experiences with a personal health crisis - 8:59
What it is like to operate on one of the most intricate and delicate parts of the human body - 18:00
How Dr. Wellons deals with the weight of unsuccessful procedures, and how he carries on - 27:51
Forming relationships with the families of very young and often very ill patients - 31:12
A discussion of spiritual faith and its place in the life of a surgeon who sees so much tragedy - 35:27
Dr. Wellons’ advice to students, trainees, and clinicians on how to stay connected and hopeful in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges - 40:52

Dr. Wellons is the author of a book All That Moves Us: A Pediatric Neurosurgeon, His Young Patients, and Their Stories of Grace and Resilience, as well as the article “How the Summer Camp Doctor Earned His Stripes ” for Garden & Gun magazine.

You can follow Dr. Jay Wellons on Twitter @JayWellons5

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