Most experiences that would lead a physician to truly empathize are lived, not taught: Kicking an addiction to a substance or activity. Living with chronic pain or fatigue. Menstrual cramps. Physical disabilities that limit mobility. The list is, of course, almost...
I turn my hands over and back, over and back, in front of me. The doctor in front of me is slowly massaging the patient’s right side, attempting to touch his fingers together through the walls of skin, adipose, and muscle. As his hands are moving, he alternates...
Understanding etymology is helpful in medicine. “Genu” and “corpus” are Latin for knee and body, respectively. “Hippos” is Greek for “horse” and “kampos” for “sea monster.” (Can you tell I am in a brain sciences block?) Now, let us understand the meaning of one of...