A Physician Mom’s Reflection for National Safety Month

June was National Safety Month, and for many of us in internal medicine, safety means fall precautions, medication reconciliation, and minimizing iatrogenic harm. But for some of us, safety doesn't stay at the hospital door. It follows us into our homes, our parenting, and even—especially—into community roller-skating events.

I’ll never forget the moment my daughter rolled into a local roller-skating party in full gear: helmet, elbow pads, knee pads—everything short of a bubble wrap suit. She looked adorable. She also looked, well... very alone. Not one other child had gear on. Not even a helmet. She scanned the rink and then looked at me with that look all kids reserve for their parents when they realize: “Oh. I’m the only one.”

That’s the moment I realized: being the kid of a physician was going to be rough.

I’ve been whispering to my daughter, “You will never ride a motorcycle” since she was a baby. Have I mentioned I completed an ED residency as well as IM, and practiced in the ED long enough to see many vehicular traumas? While I rocked her to sleep, somewhere between Twinkle, Twinkle and Goodnight Moon, I’d slip in: “...and no motorcycles, ever.”

We spend our days trying to mitigate risk. We counsel patients on seat belts, fall hazards, safe medication use, cancer screening, and sometimes just basic common sense. So of course, when it comes to our own families, our safety radar doesn't shut off. Mine certainly doesn’t.

Being a parent and an internist means living at the intersection of prevention and paranoia. It means being the only parent handing out helmets at birthday parties. It means mentally triaging every bounce house and sidewalk crack. It also means deeply understanding how fragile—and precious—life really is.

But being safety-conscious isn’t just for our families. It’s for our patients and for ourselves. July also marks the time when new residents start their training. It’s the month when attentiveness to safety, communication, and support becomes even more critical in clinical practice.

So here’s my reminder for all of us:

• Speak up when you see unsafe practices, whether in patient care or in team dynamics.
• Normalize double-checking.
• Encourage curiosity and questions from trainees—it builds a culture of safety.
• And yes, normalize helmets—even if you're the only one handing them out.

As physicians, safety is more than a policy—it’s a value we live and breathe. And sometimes, it’s a whispered bedtime mantra about avoiding motorcycles.

Happy belated National Safety Month. Stay safe—on the wards, on the roads, and yes, even at the roller-skating rink.