By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    learn to recognize and treat yeast infections
    Most Commonly Asked Questions About Yeast Infections
    November 17, 2021
    Advanced lung cancer diagnosis systems used by doctors
    Advanced Lung Cancer Diagnosis Systems Used by Doctors
    March 6, 2022
    The Top Benefits of a Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
    The Top Benefits of a Wearable Blood Pressure Monitor Watch
    June 13, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    July 31, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Soaring Medical Costs Pinned on Medical Devices
    June 7, 2011
    Debt Ceiling Negotiations on Health Care are Mere Cost Shifting
    July 15, 2011
    Is Kathleen Sebelius Listening to the NCPA?
    August 29, 2011
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Seeing Beyond the Physician’s Words to Their Hearts
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Medical Education > Seeing Beyond the Physician’s Words to Their Hearts
Medical Education

Seeing Beyond the Physician’s Words to Their Hearts

Danny Lieberman
Danny Lieberman
Share
5 Min Read
medical education and compassion
SHARE

medical education and compassionThe latest data at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation shows that there were 17,364 U.S. medical school graduates in 2011. These new doctors were taught the latest techniques in medical care.

Contents
The Absence of Compassion in Medical EducationThe Effectiveness of Teaching CompassionThe Obstacles to the Expression of CompassionHelping Physicians Focus

medical education and compassionThe latest data at the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation shows that there were 17,364 U.S. medical school graduates in 2011. These new doctors were taught the latest techniques in medical care. While they all entered medicine with a desire to help people, compassion and empathy are sometimes not part of the curriculum — leading to the unfortunate belief in patients that their doctors just don’t care.

The Absence of Compassion in Medical Education

Emory University Medical Education says that medical schools have been the place for medical students to learn to be exceptional health care technicians. Taking histories, ordering tests, interpreting results and prescribing treatment were the focus of the medical school curriculum. What patients experienced was the delivery of high quality technical medicine, without the humane component of empathy.

It was not that students weren’t compassionate. But without the academic support, they were left to observe how their physician mentors behaved, many of whom were also taught an approach to health care delivery that maintained an emotional distance. The students retain their compassion internally but learn to not exhibit it outwardly to the patient.

More Read

medical education
Top 6 Essentials To Survive Medical School
Proposal: Abolish Medical Practice Statutes
We Are Ruining Our Children’s Future Health
Five Benefits Of Taking A Graduate Certificate In Nursing Online
The Interview: Some Lessons for Healthcare PR

The Effectiveness of Teaching Compassion

A study was performed and reported in Academic Medicine that examined the impact of teaching compassion as an element of health care delivery. Five medical schools participated with the goal of determining if participants were later perceived to be more humanistic teachers. The results showed that with an academic emphasis on humanistic medicine, the physicians were seen as more compassionate professionals.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in 1999 required medical schools to adopt a new emphasis on compassionate care and professionalism.

The Obstacles to the Expression of Compassion

Physicians feel compassion, but at the same time, must deal with a number of other emotions. A physician in a hospital speaking with a patient about a serious illness is also faced with:

  • Managed care concerns
  • Large patient loads
  • HIPPA concerns
  • History with similar patient diagnoses

The effort to keep all of this organized in their mind, yet not displayed to the patient, leads patients to believe their doctor is not attentive to their needs. The expression of compassion in spite of all this is the ongoing challenge of any physician. While most people know when they can use get well cards, sympathy gifts or personal visits to those with an illness, the physician has limited options to express compassion. Sometimes, it is easier to be abrupt and move on to the next patient.

Helping Physicians Focus

Recently, the practice of mindfulness was introduced to the medical community. Mindfulness is about focusing on the current moment while not allowing all of the other thoughts to distract from that awareness.

A study reported in the Annals of Family Medicine involved 30 physicians who went through a short course about mindfulness. The physicians were then evaluated in three areas:

  • Job satisfaction
  • Quality of life
  • Compassion toward patients

All participants showed a more positive score in each of these areas than before their mindfulness studies. After nine months, the physicians also showed less depression, stress and anxiety. Their feelings of burnout were also significantly less than those without mindfulness training. The study recommended this approach as a way to improve a physician’s ability to juggle many concerns and appear in a more compassionate light to patients.

(Medical education / shutterstock)

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Healthcare Careers With Real Potential

August 16, 2016
Medical EducationSpecialties

Celebrate National Physician Assistant Week October 6-12

October 8, 2012
telemedicine
eHealthMedical EducationTechnology

Video Calling Shrinks Distance, Time and Cost in Healthcare

May 21, 2013

Applying to Medical School – Do You Know What Your Digital Footprint Looks Like?

April 22, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?