I’m a psychiatrist, and I had this same awakening for the first time over fifty years ago.

I was at a high school basketball game, and one of the players had difficulty breathing. They called for a physician to examine him. I didn’t even have a stethoscope.

The other time was at the airport in St. Louis. Once again, they paged for a physician. I ran to the gate and delivered a baby on a transport cart surrounded by flight attendants and airport personnel with their backs to the woman and me.

In both cases, I felt somewhat helpless; no one trains you for those situations. What I found was that my presence in each situation brought calm to a frightened group of concerned people.

Although I felt over my head in both situations, what everyone else most needed was someone to say, “I’ve got this.” Sometimes holding someone’s hand is the most important service health care providers can do.