Productivity Smarts 082 - Getting Better with Dr. Andrew Kadar

Productivity Smarts

In this episode of the Productivity Smarts Podcast, host Gerald J. Leonard sits down with Dr. Andrew Kadar, a physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Kadar opens up about his personal journey of resilience after being diagnosed with heart disease, sharing the challenges he faced and the valuable lessons he learned along the way. He discusses how mindset, adaptability, and seeking help were key to his recovery. Dr. Kadar also reveals how his experience as a patient has deepened his empathy and transformed his approach to patient care.

Tune in to hear Dr. Kadar's powerful insights on overcoming adversity and the critical role of empathy in medicine.

What We Discuss

• [00:02:01] Introduction to Dr. Andrew Kadar

• [00:11:09] Vulnerability in healthcare

• [00:13:49] Trusting caregivers

• [00:18:32] Adapting to challenges

• [00:22:23] Understanding patient perspective

• [00:24:50] Dual perspective in writing

• [00:27:00] Reflection and perspective shift

• [00:29:10] Caregiver consideration

Notable Quotes

• [00:06:30] "My story is very similar to lots of other patient stories. First of all, I thought I was perfectly healthy... I had no expectation that I would, at a relatively young age, all of a sudden have symptoms of heart disease and end up having what's known as the widowmaker." - Dr. Andrew Kadar

• [00:12:09] "Of course, the thing that strikes immediately is the vulnerability that you're under. Because as a doctor or as an advisor, you're not really vulnerable to anywhere near the degree that a patient is." - Dr. Andrew Kadar

• [00:16:07] "Getting better is a cooperative effort. You need your caretakers to be guiding you, but you have to put the work in to help yourself get better." - Dr. Andrew Kadar

• [00:26:01] "I never say to patients after surgery that they're going to have no pain. I tell them that we'll be able to alleviate their pain to make it bearable, but any time you have a major surgery, you're unfortunately going to have to go through some struggle." - Dr. Andrew Kadar

• [00:29:10] "Having a major illness is a family affair. It affects your spouse, your colleagues, and it's important to be considerate of your caretakers and to be appreciative of them." - Dr. Andrew Kadar

Our Guest

Dr. Andrew G. Kadar is a distinguished anesthesiologist affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in West Hollywood, California. He earned his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine and completed residencies at both Stanford University and Harvard University's Massachusetts General Hospital. Throughout his career, Dr. Kadar has served on the faculties of the UCLA School of Medicine, Charles Drew University, and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In addition to his medical practice, he has pursued literary studies through the UCLA Writers’ Program and the Antioch University MFA writing program. Dr. Kadar is the author of "Getting Better: A Doctor’s Story of Resilience, Recovery, and Renewal," a book that offers a unique perspective on the patient experience from a physician's viewpoint. His contributions to both medicine and literature underscore his commitment to patient care and the human aspects of medical practice.

Resources and Links

Dr Andrew G. Kadar M.D.

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-kadar-5b1b1113

• Book - Getting Better: A Doctor's Story of Resilience, Recovery, and Renewal

Productivity Smarts Podcast

• Website - productivitysmartspodcast.com

Gerald J. Leonard

• Website - geraldjleonard.com

• Turnberry Premiere website - turnberrypremiere.com

• Scheduler - vcita.com/v/geraldjleonard

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