Intended for healthcare professionals

Letters Being a good doctor

A good doctor is empathetic to all

BMJ 2019; 366 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l5658 (Published 24 September 2019) Cite this as: BMJ 2019;366:l5658
  1. Yang Chen, cardiology specialist registrar and NIHR academic clinical fellow
  1. Barts Health NHS Trust, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, London WC1E 6DD, UK
  1. ychen89{at}cantab.net

In searching for what it means to be a good doctor,1 we must ask and engage with those who are on the receiving end of our care.

A systematic review of patients’ priorities conducted two decades ago found that “humaneness,” “competence/accuracy,” and “involvement in decision making” were important markers of good care.2 Similar priorities were reported in a more …

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