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Ann Thorac Surg 2007;83:1927-1933
© 2007 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Presidential Address

Whom Does the Grail Serve? A Vision of Transformation in Thoracic Surgery

Ross M. Ungerleider, MD, MBA*

Cardiothoracic Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, and Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Portland, Oregon

* Address correspondence to Dr Ungerleider, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Oregon Health and Science University, John C. Hursh Chair, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, 3610 SW Veterans Hospital Rd (8451), Portland, OR 97239 (Email: ungerlei@ohsu.edu).

The first 300 words of the full text of this article appear below.


   Introduction
 
I would like to present my presidential address in the form of a story.

It is about a journey that I am on. Although deeply personal, I have decided to share it with you in the hopes that some of you will also find important meaning in it. I believe it is about a journey we are all on [1–3].

The story is about a young man named Parsifal, who is innocent, passionate, idealistic, and ambitious. He sets forth to accomplish great things that will make a difference in the world. And of course, bring him recognition. Along the way, Parsifal has epic adventures, and eventually, he finds that the journey hasn’t really been about him after all—it is about something much larger than he.

The story of Parsifal is an old story that dates back to around 1130 AD. Many writers have referred to it as the "hero’s journey" [2, 4, 5], and it traces our path through the chapters of our career. The journey requires a period of Soul Searching (which is really about reconnecting to the call), and it finally leads to Enlightenment and Transformation.

This journey is universal to each of us, and to our profession. We are in the time of reconnecting to the call. It is a time when we redefine our pursuit. It is a time of magnificent opportunity [6].

Man’s quest for the Grail* is about the journey of every person who searches to find what he or she is truly meant to be, and how their life has meaning. That is why we search for it so passionately.

In the story, you may recognize yourself, or at least some pieces of yourself, in Parsifal. So, please, open your hearts and your imagination and most . . . [Full Text of this Article]






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