Sally A. White, Ph.D., dean of the College of Education , recently addressed 42 physicians at a graduation ceremony that marked the completion of their internships and residencies at St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem . She was invited to speak by Joel C. Rosenfeld, M.D., Ed.D., director of medical education, general surgery residency program director, and program directors. After congratulating the graduates, their families, friends and teachers, Dr. White thanked them for undertaking the rigorous training needed to become physicians. “You will take all the vast knowledge you've gleaned, along with your talents, and use them on behalf of all of us,” she said. “For that we are very grateful.”

The dean pointed out that the class consisted of people from around the world, thus constituting a small global community. She told them they will always be part of a global society. “You are practicing in an age where information and time have no context. It is imperative that you learn to think, act and respond in multilingual and multicultural settings”

Dr. White spoke of her background as a British native, and touched on the many ways education plays a role in today's global society. Referring to author Thomas Friedman's book, The World is Flat , she explained that globalization also means outsourcing, a phenomenon that has impacted everyone, including doctors. She used the example of a CAT scan ordered on a patient in Bethlehem , but read in a radiologist's office in Bangalore India , and the results sent back via fiber optics, within 20 minutes. She encouraged the physicians to not fear outsourcing, rather turn it into sourcing. “Use the talents and expertise of the world, rather than duplicate efforts and resources,” she told them. “At the heart of this philosophy is collaboration, not competition.”

She then spoke on the need for intellectual flexibility, which she explained means thinking both horizontally and vertically. An intellectually flexible doctor is comfortable being part of team that is scattered across the globe, but working together to solve medical problems. “Once you have mastered the art of intellectual flexibility, you can become a source in a world that is flat and with needs that are going to become even greater.”

Dr. White closed by telling the physicians they had reached a significant milestone, but their journeys are just beginning. “I wish you all the very best, as you embark on your own great intellectual adventure.”