I’m a Doctor. Can I Help?

Jonathan Emerson Kohler

doi:10.1370/afm.1823

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I'm a Doctor...
Lorraine E Davis

Published on: 01 October 2015
Author response: Thanks
Jonathan E. Kohler

Published on: 16 September 2015
Beautiful!
Daniel C. Vinson

Published on: 15 September 2015

Published on: (1 October 2015)
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I'm a Doctor...
Lorraine E Davis, family physician
What a blessing you and your patient are to each other!
Competing interests: None declared

Competing Interests: None declared.
Published on: (16 September 2015)
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Author response: Thanks
Jonathan E. Kohler, Pediatric Surgeon
Dear Dr. Vinson,
Thank you so much for your kind response to my essay. It's something I drafted shortly after the event, in 2006, and put away. In its first incarnation, it was more angry, less reflective, and focused, strangely, on the specialization of each person involved in our patient's care. Reading it again after almost a decade gave me some jarring palpitations that I hadn't felt since internship, but mor...
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Dear Dr. Vinson,
Thank you so much for your kind response to my essay. It's something I drafted shortly after the event, in 2006, and put away. In its first incarnation, it was more angry, less reflective, and focused, strangely, on the specialization of each person involved in our patient's care. Reading it again after almost a decade gave me some jarring palpitations that I hadn't felt since internship, but more importantly inspired me to counsel myself as I was then from the perspective that I have now. On re-reading, and with the help of the Annals editors, I saw the story as a testament not just to the joy of caring for our patients that is too often obscured by the less essential elements of our practice, but also to the value of general practice, improvisation, and breadth of focus. I am glad you enjoyed the article, and I hope that others learn as much from reading it as I have learned from writing it. -Jonathan Kohler
Competing interests: None declared
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Competing Interests: None declared.
Published on: (15 September 2015)
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Beautiful!
Daniel C. Vinson, Physician
Dr. Kohler, you have written a beautiful article! Every med student, every resident, every practicing physician should read this. You clearly call us back to what we signed up for, to do what we can do to heal, care for, and comfort our patients. Thank you for writing!
Dan Vinson
Competing interests: None declared

Competing Interests: None declared.