In the Hands of Doctors: Touch and Trust in Medical Care

Modern medicine works wonders in curing people from diseases, but many are frustrated by doctors who seem to lack the time or desire to really care about them. In In the Hands of Doctors, Paul E. Stepansky ’73 explores this question by drawing from the history of medical care since the 19th century, the controversial way in which medical students are taught empathy, the disinclination of doctors to perform procedures that put them in touch with their patients’ bodies, and how social media has changed doctor-patient relationships.