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On Empathy
Reflection on what I have found to be essential in my life.
Several years ago, before medical school dominated my mind and spirit, I assembled a book of short exercises to help readers foster their sense of compassion for those whose backgrounds were different from their own. I firmly believe in the power of empathy.
Prior to my receiving an appendectomy for acute appendicitis during medical school, I was not reassured when my anesthesiologist was resistant to discussing advance directives. While both that physician and myself knew the chance of mortality during the procedure was extremely low, the topic was important to me as I faced a situation posing an appreciated risk of seriousness. Statements of “you are not going to die” did little to address the underlying concern of leaving my family’s burdens if the unthinkable occurred.
I differentiate between sympathy and empathy because sympathy is something that one can provide if one does not have a heartfelt understanding of another individual’s plight. It is like reading an article online on how someone lost their grandmother to COVID-19 and expressing your sadness for them without having lost a loved one to the terrible disease. Empathy is sympathy with an appreciation for the emotions of the situation. Concerning this example, it is expressing sadness for another while recognizing…
