Back to the Fundamentals: We’re In This Together
“Don’t worry! I got your back.” — Anchoring phrase at the 2024 AAFP Physician Well-being Conference
At the recently held American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Physician Well-being Conference, we started our time by considering the conference as our Hero's journey, and together created a group story, facilitated by our incredibly talented colleague and conference faculty member, Belinda Fu, MD.
As we ended the session and set out on our conference “journey,” Belinda encouraged the participants to connect with those sitting near them and with a half-hug, share the phrase, “Don’t worry, I got you back.” The positive energy in the room was palpable and that exercise set the tone for the Spirit of the conference, which became a wonderful space for support and encouragement.
The phrase “I got your back” likely originated from fighter airplane pilots during World War 1 and has lived on through the now popular term “wingman.” However, the importance of having a “buddy” has extended well beyond the military, including the Scouting and YMCA swimming programs. Indeed, it was through my own experience in the YMCA swimming programs and their buddy system that the PeerRxMed program was inspired.
As it became used more commonly and outside of the military, the phrase signified a commitment to watching out for someone's safety and well-being, especially in challenging or even dangerous circumstances, and sends an explicit message of support and solidarity. As used during the conference, the phrase took on a meaning less of being “defended” as of being looked after with care and protection as we allowed ourselves to explore vulnerable parts of our emotional lives. This was demonstrated through heart-felt listening and the gift of “being together,” sending the message that “I’m here for you, I’m with you, I am on your side, we’re in this together.”
The purpose of the PeerRx process is well-captured in the phrase, “I got your back.” Given the challenging circumstances of our work, it would seem that having a colleague who is intentionally supporting us and watching out for our safety and well-being would be mandatory (at least “sanity”) for all of us. Tragically, too many of us continue to “go it alone” even in the face of often overwhelming (yes, even “dangerous”) circumstances. By participating in the PeerRx process, you’ve made a wise decision to not give in to this temptation. Let’s encourage others to “buddy up” as well. Everyone deserves to have buddy who has their back. Remember, when it comes to our “professional Hero’s journey,” we’re in this together.