The educator: Mark E. Mullins, MD, Phd
By Sam Marie Engle
Change. It intimidates many people, but not Mark Mullins, MD, Emory Radiology’s vice chair education. “This is a time of great change, which is very interesting. One of my favorite parts of my job now is being on the executive committee dealing with all this change. It’s a chance to do good and do well,” he says.
The executive committee, he notes, has changed significantly in the past few months. Some positions are newly filled after faculty departures while others are newly created. Appointed vice chair for education in 2008, he is the longest-serving member of the committee and thus its institutional memory. “That’s an odd sensation because I used to be the junior person, and suddenly I’m not anymore,” he admits.
Out in Front for Education
The four-time graduate of Harvard University joined the Emory Radiology faculty in 2005. He’s been passionate about education since he taught a chemistry class as an undergraduate. He's mentored countless residents, fellows, and medical students as well as junior faculty over his career. He also has climbed the ranks from director of medical student radiology education to director of the Diagnostic Radiology Residency program on the way to his current position.
“In my mind’s eye I see myself as an educator first. I think when you ask people about education, many people say they’re supportive of education but what that really means is they’re not actively against it. Here (at Emory) it is highly supported, but we are in a tumultuous time.”
Even though Emory Radiology’s residency and fellowship programs are among the highest rated in the country, Dr. Mullins knows value has to extend beyond reputation. “We cost money and we’re constantly having to show the value of our jobs, even with that support. There are so many variables in academic medicine it can be hard to get in front of.”
His advocacy for the education mission extends beyond Emory. He’s a nationally recognized leader in radiology education. The Radiological Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the American Alliance of Academic Chief Residents in Radiology, and the Alliance of Clinical Educators in Radiology all lauded him as an outstanding/distinguished educator and the Emory University School of Medicine honored him with their Dean’s Teaching Award.
The executive committee, he notes, has changed significantly in the past few months. Some positions are newly filled after faculty departures while others are newly created. Appointed vice chair for education in 2008, he is the longest-serving member of the committee and thus its institutional memory. “That’s an odd sensation because I used to be the junior person, and suddenly I’m not anymore,” he admits.
Out in Front for Education
The four-time graduate of Harvard University joined the Emory Radiology faculty in 2005. He’s been passionate about education since he taught a chemistry class as an undergraduate. He's mentored countless residents, fellows, and medical students as well as junior faculty over his career. He also has climbed the ranks from director of medical student radiology education to director of the Diagnostic Radiology Residency program on the way to his current position.
“In my mind’s eye I see myself as an educator first. I think when you ask people about education, many people say they’re supportive of education but what that really means is they’re not actively against it. Here (at Emory) it is highly supported, but we are in a tumultuous time.”
Even though Emory Radiology’s residency and fellowship programs are among the highest rated in the country, Dr. Mullins knows value has to extend beyond reputation. “We cost money and we’re constantly having to show the value of our jobs, even with that support. There are so many variables in academic medicine it can be hard to get in front of.”
His advocacy for the education mission extends beyond Emory. He’s a nationally recognized leader in radiology education. The Radiological Society of North America, the American Roentgen Ray Society, the American Alliance of Academic Chief Residents in Radiology, and the Alliance of Clinical Educators in Radiology all lauded him as an outstanding/distinguished educator and the Emory University School of Medicine honored him with their Dean’s Teaching Award.
Caring for Patients and Each Other
Despite his heavy administrative duties, Dr. Mullins remains deeply involved in patient care as a highly respected neuroradiologist.
“I devote 50% of my time to clinical work, so doing a lot of clinical work grounds me and gives me immediate understanding of what’s really happening in our clinical practice,” he says. “Things that used to be under our control aren’t – there’s been so much centralization, which is not good or bad, but it takes a lot of the decision making out of our hands. I see what that means for clinical practice, and I bring that perspective to our work as the executive committee.”
Not surprisingly, Dr. Mullins seizes every opportunity to teach residents and fellows when he’s in the neuroradiology reading room. While he’s teaching essential neuroradiology content, he’s also helping trainees and faculty as they learn to balance crushing demands on their time.
“My new mantra is ‘we can only do what we can do.’ The current situation should not be lost on anyone. Anywhere you go, you’re lucky if you can find someone to help you. We’re now working with 80% of the people doing 110% of the work. We all need to take care of each other, lift each other up and realize we can only do what we can do. I think we know things like that but it's so hard to adopt it personally.”
Dr. Mullins is eager to address factors that lead to job dissatisfaction and burnout. “Years ago, when I first heard the expression burnout, I didn’t know what it was and then I felt guilty and weak about it, but it’s real. I look at it this way: in medicine there are two types of fractures: an insufficiency fracture is when the bone breaks because it is not strong enough. A stress fracture is when it breaks under too much pressure and excessive force. This is where we’re at: burnout is a massive stress fracture. Making it so we sustain and keep going is much better than burning out and leaving or changing jobs. It’s a pivot from the old days of never being satisfied, when we used to push, push, push. That mindset isn’t healthy.”
The Heart of a Team Player
Dr. Mullins’ eagerness to tackle problems has deep roots. “I played competitive sports growing up, and in particular team sports. I was a football lineman. I learned that the better you do your job, the better the team does and the more likely for someone else to get in the paper. The idea behind that is this: the end result is the important part, and that’s what motivates me. If I can find the right answer for the patient, that’s what matters, whether or not I get recognition for it.”
Team sports also gave him something else. “My one superpower is knowing I don’t know everything. I’m not there to show people how smart or powerful I am or to feel better about myself, and that’s powerful freedom. Many years ago, Dr. Meltzer told me she was surprised I was fine being a follower on a team instead of a leader and I said I’m fine with whatever’s needed for the best result. If you don’t feel threatened by other people and you surround yourself with talent and expertise, you’re more successful.”
That collaborative, team approach has served him and the department well. Dr. Mullins received Emory Radiology’s Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award in 2017 and the Outstanding Senior Faculty Service Award in 2019.
For a natural educator, a career in academic medicine seems a given, but it wasn’t, Dr. Mullins says. “I looked at hybrid jobs when first starting but it wasn’t the right fit for me. How I want to spend my time fits with academic medicine and it feeds my love of both education and neuroradiology.”
While this path works for him, as a mentor, he says, “Everyone has to find their own path, no matter what I think would be best for them. There’s a wide variety of academic medicine jobs, and a real range of career choices in our field. Self-awareness is so important for finding the right fit beyond the siren song of salary and vacation time.”
Dr. Mullins has several ways to stay energized for the challenges ahead. “On a daily basis, I try to get outdoors for fresh air and a walk.” Walking really means hiking. His favorite treks are at least four miles, which take only an hour. He enjoys 80s music and absolutely loves “The Great British Baking Show”. On the professional side, he says, “AUR really recharges my batteries. Those are my people, talking about things I’m super interested in, sharing lots of new ideas. It’s my favorite meeting.”
His family is a great source of support. “My spouse is in healthcare, too, so we understand each other.”
When asked where his heart is, he replies, deadpan, “I like to think I’m funny so I say left center chest.” After a beat, he continues, “I love where I work and I love what I do. That’s pretty cool to love both.” He also returns to family. “We had a lot of life events this winter. Doing what I do reminds me of the fragility of health and life. I am trying to take time to enjoy the things that are going right in our lives.”
Doing only what one can do can still be a whole, life-affirming lot.
Despite his heavy administrative duties, Dr. Mullins remains deeply involved in patient care as a highly respected neuroradiologist.
“I devote 50% of my time to clinical work, so doing a lot of clinical work grounds me and gives me immediate understanding of what’s really happening in our clinical practice,” he says. “Things that used to be under our control aren’t – there’s been so much centralization, which is not good or bad, but it takes a lot of the decision making out of our hands. I see what that means for clinical practice, and I bring that perspective to our work as the executive committee.”
Not surprisingly, Dr. Mullins seizes every opportunity to teach residents and fellows when he’s in the neuroradiology reading room. While he’s teaching essential neuroradiology content, he’s also helping trainees and faculty as they learn to balance crushing demands on their time.
“My new mantra is ‘we can only do what we can do.’ The current situation should not be lost on anyone. Anywhere you go, you’re lucky if you can find someone to help you. We’re now working with 80% of the people doing 110% of the work. We all need to take care of each other, lift each other up and realize we can only do what we can do. I think we know things like that but it's so hard to adopt it personally.”
Dr. Mullins is eager to address factors that lead to job dissatisfaction and burnout. “Years ago, when I first heard the expression burnout, I didn’t know what it was and then I felt guilty and weak about it, but it’s real. I look at it this way: in medicine there are two types of fractures: an insufficiency fracture is when the bone breaks because it is not strong enough. A stress fracture is when it breaks under too much pressure and excessive force. This is where we’re at: burnout is a massive stress fracture. Making it so we sustain and keep going is much better than burning out and leaving or changing jobs. It’s a pivot from the old days of never being satisfied, when we used to push, push, push. That mindset isn’t healthy.”
The Heart of a Team Player
Dr. Mullins’ eagerness to tackle problems has deep roots. “I played competitive sports growing up, and in particular team sports. I was a football lineman. I learned that the better you do your job, the better the team does and the more likely for someone else to get in the paper. The idea behind that is this: the end result is the important part, and that’s what motivates me. If I can find the right answer for the patient, that’s what matters, whether or not I get recognition for it.”
Team sports also gave him something else. “My one superpower is knowing I don’t know everything. I’m not there to show people how smart or powerful I am or to feel better about myself, and that’s powerful freedom. Many years ago, Dr. Meltzer told me she was surprised I was fine being a follower on a team instead of a leader and I said I’m fine with whatever’s needed for the best result. If you don’t feel threatened by other people and you surround yourself with talent and expertise, you’re more successful.”
That collaborative, team approach has served him and the department well. Dr. Mullins received Emory Radiology’s Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award in 2017 and the Outstanding Senior Faculty Service Award in 2019.
For a natural educator, a career in academic medicine seems a given, but it wasn’t, Dr. Mullins says. “I looked at hybrid jobs when first starting but it wasn’t the right fit for me. How I want to spend my time fits with academic medicine and it feeds my love of both education and neuroradiology.”
While this path works for him, as a mentor, he says, “Everyone has to find their own path, no matter what I think would be best for them. There’s a wide variety of academic medicine jobs, and a real range of career choices in our field. Self-awareness is so important for finding the right fit beyond the siren song of salary and vacation time.”
Dr. Mullins has several ways to stay energized for the challenges ahead. “On a daily basis, I try to get outdoors for fresh air and a walk.” Walking really means hiking. His favorite treks are at least four miles, which take only an hour. He enjoys 80s music and absolutely loves “The Great British Baking Show”. On the professional side, he says, “AUR really recharges my batteries. Those are my people, talking about things I’m super interested in, sharing lots of new ideas. It’s my favorite meeting.”
His family is a great source of support. “My spouse is in healthcare, too, so we understand each other.”
When asked where his heart is, he replies, deadpan, “I like to think I’m funny so I say left center chest.” After a beat, he continues, “I love where I work and I love what I do. That’s pretty cool to love both.” He also returns to family. “We had a lot of life events this winter. Doing what I do reminds me of the fragility of health and life. I am trying to take time to enjoy the things that are going right in our lives.”
Doing only what one can do can still be a whole, life-affirming lot.