Empathopenia

A brief commentary on empathy in medical school.

So I keep hearing that empathy dips to the lowest of lows during third year of med school.  I really couldn't figure that one out.  I definitely went through a phase as a paramedic after a few years of 3am paper cuts and back pain for 3 weeks.  So I know what it's like and how to mentally combat it (I was prepared this time!).

Well it hasn't happened yet.  What I HAVE lost is a lot of respect for the medical field.  How freaking sad is that??  I'll have to be unconscious and dying before I show up at a hospital now.

It's definitely not the patients.  Even my most bitter patients still make me smile and laugh; they are a challenge that I honestly enjoy taking on.

Really I think it's seeing my superiors not doing all those things they tell us to ALWAYS do- taking complaints seriously, addressing pain, listening rather than talking, being open-minded.  I know in a lot of cases it's a time constraint (which boils down to a lack of resources) but just as often it's not.  Even if I'm dead on my feet and have been awake for 40 hours, I still put the rest of my energy into making sure I'm being a good med student for my patient.

I think that I now define "successful doctor" (my personal end goal) is one who can put everything else aside and still be 100% committed to the patient's best interest.  When did that stop happening??