It has become an annual tradition for our journal to publish the remarks shared by the annual winner of the Joseph St. Geme, Jr., Leadership Award. This award is selected by all seven of the academic organizations in the Federation of Pediatric Organizations to someone who exemplifies the highest standards in academic pediatric leadership. The winner accepts the award at the start of the Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting. In the 2019, the winner was Bruder Stapleton, MD, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, and immediate Past-Chair, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. Dr. Stapleton’s acceptance speech (10.1542/peds.2019-1887) this last May and being early released as a special article in our journal focused on the importance of ubuntu, a South African philosophy espoused by people like Nelson Mandela or Bishop Desmond Tutu, that translates as “shared humanity.” Dr. Stapleton not only helps us understand the true meaning of ubuntu, but helps us understand how this philosophy is a potential solution to burnout. He provides multiple ways ubuntu can be interpreted and practiced and closes his comments with 7 suggestions as to how we can introduce ubuntu into our daily lives.
Each of the St. Geme addresses that we have published over the years (2018: 10.1542/peds.2018-2957) are well worth your time. The leadership lessons can be helpful to everyone. Congratulations Dr. Stapleton on being this year’s St. Geme awardee—and thanks for not only sharing your remarks on ubuntu, but on exemplifying this concept in everything you have done and continue to do!
