Mar 2, 2020
"Compassionate care of a dying person with cancer isn’t a cinematic moment of calm, confident oration of the perfect speech and a ceremoniously grave exit. I didn’t hide my emotions behind aequanimitas virtuosity, but instead practiced transparency, allowing the patient and her family to witness my own emotional vulnerability."
Dr. Michael Bonner Foote remembers the patient who reminded him that leaning into discomfort and sharing his emotions openly can benefit both his patients and himself.
This essay was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the March 2020 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.