Episode description

Dr. Vivek Moitra is an Allen I. Hyman Professor of Critical Care Anesthesiology at Columbia University Medical Center. He specializes in intensive care and anesthesiology and has been the Division Chief of Critical Care Medicine for the past 5 years. Additionally, Dr. Moitra has an MHA focused in Health/Health Care Administration/Management from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. He is an aspiring servant leader and describes himself as a “work in progress.”

It’s been said that culture happens when people aren’t looking. In medicine and many aspects of health care, this same idea can play out when individual accomplishments are rewarded while team achievements are often overlooked. Dr. Vivek Moitra, an anesthesiologist and Division Chief of Critical Care Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, believes that everyone on his team plays a leadership role when developing a health care culture that is safe, consistent, and joyful. 

Join Dr. Vivek Moitra and Dov Pollack in this episode of the Next Wave Leadership Podcast. Dr. Moitra shares his journey to becoming an anesthesiologist and talks about his current role “leading a team of leaders.” They discuss the ego complex often found in medicine, the importance of showing vulnerability, and the value of servant leadership and empowering others to grow. You’ll also hear about how the COVID-19 pandemic created opportunities to change the culture around health care.