Becoming a Do-er with Dr. Richard Sterling

Richard Sterling, MD is Virginia Commonwealth University Hepatology Professor of Medicine, Section Chief of Hepatology, and Medical Director of Viral Hepatitis and HIV Liver Disease. He is active in graduate medical education as a transplant hepatology fellowship director, and an associate program director in the Internal Medicine Residency Program with a focus in scholarship. Dr. Sterling completed his medical school from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and pursued his residency and fellowship at Virginia Commonwealth University. His research focuses on HIV liver disease, which is supported by several NIH grants. Dr. Sterling has published over 220 manuscripts and serves on prominent committees of national associations, such as the American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Gastroenterology in which he has served as the past governor of Virginia for six years. Dr. Sterling has won numerous awards for teaching and leadership and was voted top doc in 2012 and 2013 by Richard Magazine. If there is one thing Dr. Richard Sterling knows best, it’s that failure is never a means to quit. Today, Dr. Sterling recalls many life stories of persistence and fortitude—and reminds us all that perceived failure is just a door toward a new opportunity. Early on, he was told he could be one of three kinds of people: Those that do, those that watch and those that wonder. Dr. Sterling decided then and there to be a do-er, and he encourages us all to follow that same path. Although persistence is key, Dr. Sterling also reminds us it’s okay to take side trips. To ask for direction when lost, and to appreciate the scenery along the way. Pearls of Wisdom: 1. You can be one of three kinds of people: Those who do, those who watch, and those who wonder. Decide to be the doer. 2. If—and when—we fail, know how to ask for help. 3. Don’t be afraid to take side trips, to ask for directions when lost, and appreciate the scenery.