Dr. Dad: Fatherhood in Medicine with Dr. David Draghinas

The Doctor's Life

In this episode of The Doctor’s Life podcast, host Dr. Dianne Ansari-Winn sits down with Dr. David Draghinas to discuss the experience of fatherhood while being a physician. Dr. Draghinas (Dr. Dave) is an Anesthesiologist at a private practice in Dallas and the host of the Doctors Unbound podcast, where he recently interviewed Dr. Dianne. He was previously a physician in the US Navy and is the father of three children. As we learn, each of these factors contributes to his unique insights on how to thrive in life as a medical profession. In this conversation, Dr. Dianne and Dr. Dave talk about how having kids has changed his perspective on his work, what he believes kids want and need to thrive, and how young fathers can flourish by grasping just three key concepts.

To start the conversation, Dr. Dave talks about having children later on in life, and how it has affected his outlook on being a physician. The first major impact fatherhood had was realizing that his children looked up to him as a role model, particularly because of his occupation. Secondly, having kids taught him the value of a healthy work-life balance, as the core element of any healthy relationship is quality time spent together. Third, he talks about how having kids has shown him the bigger picture of life and the importance of cultivating personal health for longevity. These three concepts helped him adapt his thinking about his career in light of his role as a father.

As the conversation continues to unfold, Dr. Dave delves further into the topic of what children need to be healthy and thrive. Ultimately, he believes children need the intangible items of a parent’s time and attention to be healthy. But unfortunately, there is a common narrative among medical professionals of overworking and being too busy to spend healthy amounts of time with their families at home. This sad fact leads Dr. Dianne and Dr. Dave to discuss the value of quality time versus the value of buying more things for one’s kids, driving home the idea that for parents, spending time will always be more important than buying things.

Finally, Dr. Dave provides three need-to-know keys for every new or prospective father. The keys are time, presence, and awareness of your kid’s attention. As he shows, spending quality time with one’s child is a fundamental need to build a thriving relationship. But father’s must fight to be present not only physically, but also mentally. The greatest threat to every father’s attention is the smartphone in their back pocket, and Dr. Dave shares an intimate story of how he learned this firsthand from his young son. Lastly, he talks about how children are always observing their parents’ speech and actions. Through all of this dialogue, Dr. Dave provides an invaluable perspective on how to thrive as an individual, as a father, and as a physician.

Follow Dr. Draghinas on Instagram and Twitter: @ddraghinas

Connect with Dr. Draghinas on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DoctorsUnbound/

Learn more about the Doctors Unbound podcast:

DoctorsUnbound.com

Listen to Dr. Dianne on the Doctors Unbound podcast:

http://www.doctorsunbound.com/podcast/why-physician-coaching-can-help-doctors-rescue-their-careers/

Check out Dr. Draghinas’ website on anesthesia:

AnesthesiaMyths.com