Just Acting

Abstract

Ad Libitum21 August 2012Just ActingJonathan Reisman, MDJonathan Reisman, MDFrom Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital Medicine and Pediatrics Department, Boston, MA 02114.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-157-4-201208210-00011 Audio Reading - “Just Acting” Audio. Listen to a reading of "Just Acting" by Jonathan Reisman, MD. Your browser does not support the audio element. Audio player progress bar Step backward in current audio track Play current audio trackPause current audio track Step forward in current audio track Mute current audio trackUnmute current audio track 00:00/ SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail At firstyou enter the clinicshoulders weighted downby white coat pockets book-stuffed.Timidyou act out a role.Your white coat—a costume,your questions—a script,your demeanor—a rehearsed act.No one is going to buy this.But thenas you play the role againand againrepeating the linesand the motions.The script slowly dissolvesand the interaction becomes thoughtless,and the rehearsed act slowly fades into a profession.You suddenly find yourself unable to tellif you're still actingor if you're doing it for realand now you're a doctor.Jonathan Reisman, MDHarvard Massachusetts General Hospital Medicine and Pediatrics DepartmentBoston, MA 02114 Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital Medicine and Pediatrics Department, Boston, MA 02114.Current Author Address: Jonathan Reisman, MD, Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital Medicine and Pediatrics Department, 175 Cambridge Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02114; e-mail, [email protected]. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement Audio Reading - “Just Acting” Audio. Listen to a reading of "Just Acting" by Jonathan Reisman, MD. Your browser does not support the audio element. Audio player progress bar Step backward in current audio track Play current audio trackPause current audio track Step forward in current audio track Mute current audio trackUnmute current audio track 00:00/ FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 21 August 2012Volume 157, Issue 4Page: 289KeywordsHospital medicinePediatricsShoulders ePublished: 21 August 2012 Issue Published: 21 August 2012 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2012 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...