Cardiologist prescribes success to graduates

King, a Gordon native, attended CSC 1990-1993 as one of the first participants of CSC’s Rural Health Opportunities Program. He now works at the Nebraska Heart Institute, which provides “leading-edge services” to patients from Nebraska and northern Kansas at five locations.

During Friday’s address, King delivered many characteristics that he’s noticed in successful people he’s encountered during his career. Among the most notable, he said, is the willingness to commit to “good old hard work.” He said it’s a characteristic that is prevalent throughout the Midwest.

“With your diploma and work ethic, you have qualities that will make you attractive not only to employers in this area but also all over the United States and the world,” he said. “I cannot stress enough how important it is to work hard at whatever it is you choose to do and strive to do your best at that job.”

King said successful people are often optimistic. He said they recognize the many problems facing the world, but are confident things will get better. He noted the many achievements that have occurred nationally and globally during his lifetime on issues that once seemed insurmountable. They include the threat of nuclear war, which was greatly lessened by the collapse of the Soviet Union, and HIV, which he noted has been reduced to a chronic disease that may eventually be eliminated.

“Just as these threats have been eliminated, my generation is optimistic about the things that you and your generation will achieve. You are the ones that will reduce our reliance on oil, stop global warming and help with famine. You are the ones to cure heart disease – although I don’t want you to do that too soon because I still need a job for about 25 more years,” he said with a laugh.

The speaker also stressed the importance for people to work at something they love. Relating his experiences, he encouraged the graduates to have the courage to make a change if they find themselves in a career they don’t like.

King began his career in internal medicine, the specialty that deals with diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases. In 2002, he was named the Nebraska Medical Association’s Young Physician of the Year. Despite much early success, King said he hated his job. He made the decision to go back to school and switch to a career in cardiology, although aware of challenges both logistical and financial. He and his wife, Jennifer, had three young children at the time.

“Eventually, I came to the realization that I could go on doing what I was doing and be a miserable person making others around me miserable, or I could find a way to use my skills and training in a different way. It was at that point that I decided to change my career.”

After his career change, he said people immediately noticed his change in attitude. He also said he likes to think that his patients get better care now.

He encouraged the graduates who are searching for jobs to use that flexibility to be daring and find something they want to do.

“Always remember that if you get into something that you don’t like you always have the option to change,” he said. “The days will seem longer when you are doing something you don’t like, and you will soon find that life is too short.”

He gave credit to his wife, Jennifer, his parents Dennis and Kathryn, and other family and friends for their support. He told graduates to likewise surround themselves with people they trust and have their best interest in mind.

In relating that the graduates should learn from their missteps and embrace those lessons, King said he still makes many mistakes, and listed celebrated people, including Thomas Edison and Dr. Seuss, who experienced incredible failures before realizing success. He said people should always continue to learn from their own mistakes, as well as those of others.

“Without experiments and continuous education, we would still be in an era of leeches and treating the bad ‘humors’ in the body,” he said. “I want you to continue learning and be curious about the world. It is OK to say ‘I don’t know,’ but then I want you to strive to find the answer.”

The undergraduate commencement ceremony Friday had special significance, marking the end of CSC’s 14-month centennial observance. The diplomas of this winter’s 103 bachelor’s degrees and 62 master’s degrees, as well as those of the the May 2011 graduates, were decorated with the institution’s centennial celebration symbol.