- With Mayo Clinic oncologist
Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
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Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
Edward Creagan, M.D.
"The magic of the electronic village is transforming health information. The mouse and keyboard have extended the stethoscope to the 500 million people now online." — Dr. Edward Creagan
The power of the medium inspires Dr. Edward Creagan as he searches for ways to share Mayo Clinic's vast resources with the general public.
Dr. Creagan, a Newark, N.J., native, is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hospice medicine and palliative care. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1973 and in 1999 was president of the staff of Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Creagan, a professor of medical oncology at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, was honored in 1995 with the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine Award and in 1992 with the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award, Mayo's highest recognition. He has been recognized with the American Cancer Society Professorship of Clinical Oncology.
He describes his areas of special interest as "wellness as a bio-psycho-social-spiritual-financial model" and fitness, mind-body connection, aging and burnout.
Dr. Creagan has been an associate medical editor with Mayo Clinic's health information websites and has edited publications and CD-ROMs and reviewed articles.
"We the team of (the website) provide reliable, easy-to-understand health and wellness information so that each of us can have productive, meaningful lives," he says.
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Stress blog
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March 5, 2010
A gentle reminder to avoid snap judgments
By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.
A few days ago, I was finishing an early morning run in the cold predawn of a Minnesota February. As I was cooling down by walking a bit, I was startled by a 100-pound furry creature with piercing blue eyes and a regal presence. It was a Siberian Husky with a snow-white coat and a fancy yellow collar. He was obviously someone's well loved pet. He walked with me for a few minutes.
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I noticed a school bus coming toward us, so I told the dog to stay and held my hands in the palms-up position. The dog looked at me in bewilderment and continued to meander into the street. I quickly jumped in front of him, again held up my hands and said "sit." Again, the dog looked at me blankly and continued on his way. I thought to myself that this puppy must've been an obedience school dropout.
Concerned about the dog's safety, I looked at his tag and saw that he lived just a few blocks from my home. I escorted him back to his owners. When I knocked on the front door, a well dressed gentleman answered and warmly greeted the dog — in Spanish! The dog had probably been trained with Spanish commands, which is why he hadn't understood my English ones.
Thinking back on this episode makes me laugh, but it also reminds me not to make judgments about people — or pets — without having all the information. I'd thought the dog had a low IQ, since he couldn't follow even simple commands. Turns out I was the slow one.
We were all taught as children not to judge a book by its cover. How has that lesson been brought home to you recently?
7 comments posted
March 12, 2010 9:15 p.m.
I love all animals. This true story you shared, with a lesson to be learned, is heartwarming. Thanks for taking the time to respond to this lost animal and guide it back home to its owners. A book with a fancy cover may not be what it seems when you look inside. Some of the best, kindest, loving, loyal, and trusted people, I have found in life are a lot of the times the ones who others may have overlooked or that do not have wonderful jobs, or high-up positions. I enjoy responding to people in an open and friendly way, as Jesus would have me to do.
- Jan
March 10, 2010 7:00 p.m.
Maybe the puppy understood English as well as Spanish, but was taught not to respond to strangers on the street.
- carol
March 10, 2010 8:15 a.m.
Why is assuming that people in America speak English such a "snap" judgment?
- Bob
March 9, 2010 4:35 p.m.
Well, giving it many minutes of thought, I found it an idiotic story on many levels. For one thing, dogs don't understand spoken language as much as body language, hand signals, and the emotions of the spoken sound, which was given to this dog plenty. My personal experience with Huskies is that they are pretty thick-headed. The only snap judgment in the story is the one that the dog needed help and that it was safe to approach him.
- Peter
March 8, 2010 9:25 p.m.
How many times I have made snap judgments. I got royally cured by a single event. I had taken a medication designed to detox my system and I had a reaction on my face. For about a week people were making rash, no pun intended, about me. I got the look everywhere I presented my beet red face. This cured me of making rash judgments about others. Barbara A.
- Barbara A
March 7, 2010 1:06 p.m.
This lesson hits home frequently as I age. I present to doctor(s) too often anticipating the worse case scenario. I judge my own pages based on other covers I've read, without waiting for perspective doctors provide. I'll spare you my details, at least the dog looked the other way...
- Carol
March 5, 2010 2:00 p.m.
Thanks for this article - a good lesson for us all.
- Marian
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