Doctor's Pursuit of Passion Outside of Medicine Proves Healing

March 5th, 2013 2 Min read Doctor's Pursuit of Passion Outside of Medicine Proves Healing Blog
plasseDr. Peter Plasse, EM, initially tried locum tenens back in the 1990s because the flexible work schedule allowed him to be home more with his young children. With three of his kids now in college, he's discovered that working locums is a great way to supplement his income, helping him pay for all those tuitions. He also enjoys the opportunity to take time off whenever he desires so he can pursue other interests outside of medicine. Dr. Plasse has many passions. He and his wife, Trish, are avid scuba divers and musicians who compete in community talent shows. Dr. Plasse is also a published author, enjoying much success with his first novel, Ravenwild, which is part of an epic fantasy trilogy written for all ages. Following a book signing he did with another fantasy fiction author whom he greatly admires, Dr. Plasse described the experience as being right up there with watching the births of his children -- and the first time he assisted in cardiac surgery. Yet, he claims that if it weren't for CompHealth, he may never have even finished writing his book. Turns out it wasn't only the freedom and flexibility of working locums that enabled this achievement, it was the support of his original CompHealth recruiter, Norma (Reiger) Collins. Besides being his trusted advisor on career matters, Norma nurtured Dr. Plasse's creative work as well, offering to read his material and providing encouraging feedback. And while it was only a side project to his real job of saving lives, Dr. Plasse's book has turned out to be a powerful healer all of its own. A woman who works with seriously traumatized children shared that a young girl, as a result of hearing Ravenwild read out loud in group therapy, spoke for the first time since becoming mute. "I am awash with humility that my simple tale, the inspiration for which was nothing more than to pen a good story that my kids might someday enjoy reading, would have such a profound positive effect," Dr. Plasse says. Talk about a happy ending. It just goes to show that pursuing one's passion can be healing in more ways than we know. To learn more about Dr. Plasse and his book-writing adventure, read this interview with the Lexington Minuteman. Image via Ravenwild.com: http://www.ravenwild.com/about_the_author.html

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