Maddaus and Company

Back in 2004, I started my very first medical rotation at Fairview University Medical Center. I blindly fell into the Thoracic Surgery team. As a medical rotation greenhorn I did not know what to expect, but I was eager to make my mark. At that point, my long list of possible medical careers was an open field which even included surgery as a possible future. Six weeks later, my acidic reflux roared up my throat like Yellowstone’s Old Faithful and I not so subtly knew surgery was not my destiny; my body simply said no to surgery. Plus it never matched the sexiness of the show “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Yet in the mix of this hell were glimpses of joys that must have been fate. That glimpse came as a stare-you-done-size-you-up doctor known as Dr. Michael Maddaus. My first encounter with him revealed a well-trimmed, well-dressed, tattoo-featuring, straight-to-the-point MD.

I still remember that first day with him on service. The four medical students on the team stood around him as he nonchalantly leaned back on his rolling chair with his hands on the back of his head. One second later, the interrogation/interview began- Where are you from? When is your birthday? Etc…

That interrogation came with dress code commentary. I had forgotten (at least I think I forgot and it was not intentional and that’s what I still tell Dr. Maddaus as of today. Wink, wink) to button my collar button and Dr. Maddaus’ poignant and even-toned advice came as “Did you intentionally do that? You should really button that.” My sidekick to my right got the “you really need to shave” words of wisdom. A week later, Dr. Maddaus noticed my dearth supply of neckties when I wore the same tie 3 times within a 9 day period. He generously and straight-faced invited me to his home (in front of a roaring audience) with “Man, Cuong, I love that tie, but I’ve seen it too many times. If you need some ties, I can give you some of mine. I have tons at home.” While my sidekick to the right of me got “that’s a beautiful tie and I love how you tied it with two dimples like a news anchorman.”

Fortunately behind the no-bull-attitude and ohhh-so-efficient-and-effective-surgical-skills came generosity, faithfulness, and kindness. Yes, his interrogation was likely used to shake us up, but he genuinely cared about our responses and he soaked us up like a sponge. Out of all the physicians I have worked with in my short medical career, Dr. Maddaus has one of the best listening and patient-centered skills. He actually took my advice on a book and sought out to buy it on amazon.com. He wrote down my birthday and called to say happy birthday. He looked beyond my status as his medical student slave and saw me as a peer.

He also saw me as a patient…. That’s another blog story.

Anyway I was excited and surprised to receive an email one day from Dr. Maddaus that he planned to drop by Viet Nam with his two twenty year-old sons…. (To be continued)

For now read his enchanting story online: The Maddaus Story.