“Humanism is what lets you move past viewing someone as a sum of only the parts that you know...It's spending time listening to them and valuing everything that they have gone through that has brought them to the bed before you.”

"Humanism in medicine is taking the time to listen to how bad traffic was coming in from work out on the North Shore to make it to today’s visit, letting patients vent about how stressful it is caring for sick family members at home, and greeting someone with a kind smile. Humanism in medicine is letting your patient share their perspectives of their own illness or learning how to say “I am happy to have met you” in Japanese. Humanism in medicine is realizing that you cannot care for your patient unless you truly understand your patient."

“In the end, recognizing the humanity within ourselves can help us to see the humanity in others, so that we may provide empathetic care to anyone who comes across our stethoscope.”

“At times it feels impossible to give every patient the attention or time they deserve, but I am often reminded that sometimes the best medical care has little to do with the actual treatment you give but rather, it has everything to do with your ability to keep humanism at the center of your interactions. All patients, especially those who are skeptical or mistrustful of our medical system, deserve to be listened to, validated, and involved in their care, not only because is it the compassionate thing to do, but also because doing so actually leads to better health outcomes.”

"To be true and to accept the vulnerability of others with an open heart is how you can build a genuine connection with your patients and care for them with compassion; I believe that is what humanism in medicine means to me.”

"“If at the end of my life, the only thing I’ve accomplished is a comfortable life, my days have been wasted. If at the end of my life, the only thing I’ve fought for is my own name, my days have been wasted. If at the end of my life, the only thing I’ve stood for is my own reputation, my days have been wasted. If at the end of my life, the only thing I’ve traded are works for rewards, my days have been wasted. May we not go to the grave quietly. May we not make refuse of the gifts we’ve been given. Arrive empty to the grave, having given all you were given, stewarded all you were tasked with. Give the grave only bones.” - Jon Acuff"

“… humanism in medicine means seeing and treating a patient as a person rather than a chart, a case, or an interesting diagnosis. It means listening and learning about their individual needs, worries, passions, motivations, and beliefs. It means connecting with a person while determining the best course of care."

"There is always an opportunity to take a humanistic approach to medicine if we each simply stop to take a moment to listen to the person in front of us. If we do not meet our patients where they are in their healthcare journey, we cannot expect them to meet us where we are in our assessments and plans.”

"Patients do not always adhere to the treatment plans we propose. In fact, they sometimes do the exact opposite of what we ask of them. The beauty of medicine is that it is not a dictatorship; it is a compromise between two individuals. Humanism in medicine is about treating each patient with the same kindness and respect, whether they are nice or grumpy, compliant or non-compliant, COVID vaccinated or unvaccinated.”

To me, humanism in medicine is constantly walking in humility. Humility is to recognize our own pride and fight against the pride-filled assumptions that create a separation between “physicians” and “patients.” So many times, my patients have taught, healed, and inspired me, much more than I did for them. Humility is to realize that just like myself, every person is walking through life carrying pain and baggage, celebrating answered prayers, pursuing dreams, wrestling with doubts and fears, desiring purpose, and trying to continue forward on his or her journey.”

"We can never be perfect, but we can always strive to be the best version of ourselves at the present moment. I think we owe it to ourselves and our patients to share what all of us inherently encompass when we enter the world-- love. Whether it's self-love or compassion for others, humans are social creatures that exceptionally thrive under teamwork. To me, humanism means to continue building relationships with our patients. To assure them that they are not alone alongside this journey of health and wellness."