Medicine has always balanced art and science, but some say modern forces are chipping away at the art.
Today’s physicians practice amid an expanding stack of technology — from AI scribes to predictive analytics — and within corporate systems where most no longer call the shots. Meanwhile, patients’ expectations and cultural norms are shifting, too.
But some of the most essential skills in medicine...
The strongest version of this narrative highlights a critical tension in modern medicine: the erosion of human-centered skills in an era dominated by technology and corporate efficiency. The physicians interviewed provide compelling, evidence-based arguments for the irreplaceable value of empathy, communication, and contextual understanding in patient care. Their anecdotes—such as Slakey’s discovery of environmental factors in infections or Emanuel’s practice of writing condolence notes—demonstr...