ABSTRACT
As a physician, one is expected to be more empathetic, to care more, and at the same time one is expected not to show ambivalence as doing so would make doctors seem less competent and less in control of the situation. While medical texts will always be about the anatomical and physiological departures from the norm, one can perhaps lean towards literature for psychological guidance on the nature of humans and how people interact with them. There has been much focus on medical mistakes, the vilification of medical personnel, and the "Swiss cheese effect" of breaks in protocols that inevitably led to deaths or egregious harm to patients. Doctors must recognise that they are as imperfect and flawed as the people who seek their help; doctors must recognise that they are human. It is this recognition of their vulnerabilities that will make for a deeper appreciation of what they do to, and for, their patients.
