The Doctor -Patient Relationship

The Doctor-Patient relationship seems to be the most elusive of all of the aspects of medicine that we are seeking to understand and one day participate in. As we looked at in previous weeks, medical schools seem to spend most of their energy teaching students basic sciences, and about normal and diseased human bodies. However, it is often the doctor-patient relationship that has the most impact upon patients and is most sought after by doctors.

In Bedside Manners we read of a patient who, despite every effort put forth by his physician and surgeon, died due to noncompliance. On the other hand, some patients benefit simply from the care and support they receive from an accessible and compassionate physician. How future doctors learn to embody this example? What opportunities are there for those entering into medicine to learn or fine-tune their abilities to communicate, empathize, and collaborate with patients? Is this something that can even be taught?

In our med. student panel last Thursday we heard of a new "doctoring" program in the Alpert Medical School that allows students to follow physicians as well as to practice patient skills on patient-actors. This step is certainly evidence of strides that are being made to answer the questions above, but can students be taught empathy? I've heard of certain phrases offered to medical students to use in difficult situations such as "That must be hard for you" -- does this undermine a doctor's ability to develop genuine relational skills and bonds with their patients by providing a 'one-size-fits-all' script?