Compassion 24-7

As I started reading Medicine and Compassion, I began to consider what I understood about doctors and the lives of doctors. In my mind, doctors have are very strong people, mentally and physically. To deal with suffering everyday, it seems impossible to go home and forget about the events of the day. Being a doctor is a 24 hour job that is extremely difficult. Though it is not my desire to be a doctor, I feel that gaining the same compassion that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche teaches is important.

I have noticed that in medical dramas on television, some of the doctors are portrayed as heartless and selfish. For example, on the popular show Grey’s Anatomy, the interns often fight for a role on the more interesting cases. Although the show is just a TV show, it appears that residents are taught to shed their compassionate nature in efforts to process people out of the ER. In the medical drama, ER, triage is portrayed as hectic and rushed, with little time for doctors to pause and show emotion to others. “Doctors fear that if they open themselves up to the emotions of their patients, they will be overwhelmed. They feel that they need to distance themselves from the pain, loneliness, and fear that many patients are suffering. If they identify too closely with their patients, they run the risk of emotional exhaustion” (Rinpoche 4). I think that compassionate doctors are important in the medical world; however, they require complete dedication to helping others. Many doctors currently aren’t willing to dedicate their lives completely to their profession. According to Rinpoche, being a doctor involves more than just helping people during your shift.

I, myself, question what the role of the doctor is. Although Rinpoche contents “compassionate qualities are intrinsic” I feel that doctors are now days told to shed their compassion (Rinpoche 20). I that the compassion of a doctor depends on the field of medicine one goes into. For example, my pediatric doctor, Dr. Fan, who I’ve been going to since I was born, is able to be “more compassionate” because he deals with primarily health patients. Whereas an ER doctor or a cancer-ward doctor faces more pain and suffering. In the show Dr. 90210, cameras follow prominent plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills. Many of the cases involve women getting breast augmentations or “fixing/perfecting” some part of their bodies. The doctors also do pro-bono work. The show depicts the doctors as always stressed by the end of the day. Rinpoche recommends “If we fall asleep full of joy and delight, then the odds are higher that when we wake up some of that feeling will resurface” (Rinpoche 69).

I personally, don’t feel that I could ever be a doctor because I don’t think I could ever get off work and just rid myself of the suffering that is around me constantly. I would want to help people all the time and wouldn’t want to leave for hope. Rinpoche talks about this idea of suffering and how suffering is a result of negative emotions. It seems pretty radical but a good idea. “It’s very important to understand that our negative traits are not intrinsic: they can be eliminated, by they don’t disappear by themselves… The more that we are able to recognize and acknowledge the consequences of negative emotions, the more sincere our wish to develop loving kindness, compassion, and insight becomes” (Rinpoche 82-83).

Being a doctor is an intense job. I totally respect those who take that path, I just feel that doctors must learn to mix compassion and medicine.