Doctor, listen to your patients-Dr Paulose

“Of all the science that a physician acquires, of all the skills mastered, listening is by far the most difficult. The seemingly simple act demands the most consummate artistry. Listening demands intense cultivation, similar to that of musical virtuosity. One learns to be attentive to the fluttering eyelid, to the inaudible sigh, to the unshed tear. To ancient Sumerians the word for ear and for wisdom was the same. Proper listening enables one to comprehend the unique narrative of another human being. Even at its scientific best, medicine is dependent on the intimate story. For doctors this is an exhilarating act of discovery; for patients it identifies a healer. Medicine is ultimately a social discipline. It begins with a unique story from a fellow human being craving help”