What would a modern-day Leonardo da Vinci be doing? Would they be inventing, experimenting, creating? Where would they live, that would foster this kind of emergence?
In modern industrialized life, we are forced into silos. We have an occupation, some hobbies if we’re lucky. Our skill-set is often limited to what we need to know, not necessarily what we’re interested in. It’s hard to find the time for examining interests after caregiving, home maintenance, commuting, and recharging (if you’re lucky).
It’s rare for a person to have the privilege of time, energy, and resources to explore their full potential. To become a “renaissance” person.
I know this as becoming transdisciplinary.
While I am a physician, I’m also pursuing a Doctorate in transdisciplinary studies through Middlesex University in London UK.
Yes, I’ll be “Doctor Doctor.”
What this means for me is to explore the ways that I have transcended a particular discipline. What I have learned, applied, shared, and analyzed about the world from multiple perspectives.
It’s called a Doctorate of Professional Studies by Public Works. The academic term for this kind of study is autoethnography. It’s like being an anthrolopologist into your own life. We were asked early into the program to choose between evocative autoethnography and analytic autoethnography. One is a more narrative, descriptive writing style that is means to “evoke” emotions and create a sense of empathy and common understanding. The other is reflective, quantitative, referenced, and includes methodologies to analyze and self-examine. Both relate to context and timelines. What I hope to prove, in bridging both styles, is that I have achieved a modicum of transdisciplinary activities. With an intention to do more.
Our brain lobes (hemispheres) are connected by the corpus collusum. This neural tissue allows the different functions to interact, while functionally our brains have separate abilities, intentions, and areas of concentration. Neural tissue is specialized but also flexible, constantly learning and forging new interconnections.
The nervous system’s neuroplasticity mimics the potential of human achievement. The more that we expand, grow, change, and reach - the more fully we can realize this.
Humans were not meant to working factories, making widgets. We were not meant to punch numbers, to make endless macchiatos, to teach the same lectures, to manage the same illness. This is one reason I was drawn to generalist medicine - after aiming for pediatric neurology for my first two years of medical school, I wanted the challenge of transdisciplinary practice. Even though my dream was to be a writer - which I’ve now achieved by “bridging” these two passions - pre-order The Modern Trauma Toolkit here.
I think a push towards generalism is needed. Innovation happens at these intersections. The more creative and open our minds, the more we can all solve the challenges of these times.