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• Wounded Healers
  Jacqueline L. Mosher
  Published on: 14 January 2009

• Published on: 14 January 2009

  Wounded Healers

  • Jacqueline L. Mosher, student

  Dear Editor: In the editorial written by Deborah Kirklin, "Lessons in Pity and Caring from Dickens to Melville" (Medical Humanities 34: 57 2008)I found it interesting and refreshing to read her perspective on the character Gregory House from the popular television series "House M.D." I have noticed many articles referencing paternalism and the popular television series "House," but Kirklin makes an interesting point th...

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  Dear Editor: In the editorial written by Deborah Kirklin, "Lessons in Pity and Caring from Dickens to Melville" (Medical Humanities 34: 57 2008)I found it interesting and refreshing to read her perspective on the character Gregory House from the popular television series "House M.D." I have noticed many articles referencing paternalism and the popular television series "House," but Kirklin makes an interesting point that I have not read which is "House" as "a doctor who is willing to risk it all to fulfill his duty of care to his patients."

  What I find peculiar about this character that also coincides with Kirklin's observations, and which I have seen nothing written, is the fact that he is also wounded (physically and emotionally)and we do get glimpses of his "heart," but that too, is wounded. He has wounds we can see. There is, of course, a hint of "Prometheus" in this character. His suffering is alleviated only temporarily by the delivery of narcotics, but he remains a sufferer. He knows something about suffering and thus, has something in common with his patients. He is both wounded and cannot heal himself, but will care for his patients at any cost. I hope to see this angle addressed at some point.

  I do think that many of our physicians in "real life" are wounded, and through their work, they are wounded over and over again. I am not sure what we want from them. What does concern me, is that in our medical education system we have the ability to siphon the compassion right out of them. There is something terribly wrong there.

  This was my first copy of The Journal of Medical Humanities and I am very pleased with Kirklin's articulate editorial and the overall content of the journal.

  Sincerely, Jacqueline L.Mosher

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  Conflict of Interest:
  None declared.

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