savoy096

Over the past few weeks, we have spent a lot of time in the hospital interviewing patients. The experience has been incredibly valuable, and I am grateful for the opportunity: having a conversation with a stranger in which you efficiently gather important information while making them feel at ease and understood is a learned skill, and we really need the practice. As we attempt to cultivate this skill, vulnerable and ailing patients expose themselves to us, patiently complying as we bumble through unknown and sometimes sensitive territory. The contribution patients make to our medical education is invaluable and significant, yet this generosity does not stand alone. Time on the wards exposes the intricacies of the healthcare team, and the essential role of all of its players—a reality that is often lost on medical students, and perhaps even some physicians. The role of the physician is of course important. However, so are those of all the other team members: the social workers who best...