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Invited Commentary
January 2014

The Antidote for Unprepared Patients: A Caring Clinician

Author Affiliations
  • 1Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
  • 2Louisville Cardiology, Baptist Medical Associates, Louisville, Kentucky
JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(1):86-87. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.9196

Being a truly caring clinician is one of the most rewarding things a person can do. Concern for others is what makes the practice of medicine so special. Caring means more than just telling people what to eat or how to exercise or what pill to take. It means more than prescribing therapy that extends life. The essence of being a caring clinician is working with patients to help them achieve the life they want to lead. That’s it. We are consultants in the service of people. We are the experts in medical science, and patients are the experts in what is important to them. A caring clinician recognizes that patients are free and equal.

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