For doctors who spend years training to make their patients better, what happens when there is no cure? 

This is how Dr. Abraham Verghese came of age as a physician. 

At the height of the AIDS epidemic, he treated a rural population of dying young men, men his own age, who had no future and were often shunned by other doctors. Working with his AIDS patients, Dr. Verghese learned that treating the spirit can bring patients and their families an invaluable part of what they need when facing the incurable. As Dr. Verghese became renowned both as a doctor and a writer, he carried forward his rituals of personal focus on the patient and their families to keep humanity central to his medical practice.

(02:28)    Dr. Murthy and Dr. Verghese recount their first meeting 

(06:14)    How did Abraham learn the difference between curing and healing?

(09:10)    What did Abraham come to understand about doctors while caring for AIDS patients in the 1980s?

(13:08)    How Dr. Murthy got his start in public health during the AIDS epidemic

(17:22)    How can we build a more humanistic approach back into medicine?

(21:20)    Do patients feel invisible these days?

(24:21)    With the proliferation of electronic medical records, how can medical students learn to connect with patients?

(29:24)    How Dr. Murthy learned the importance of the physical exam with patients.

(36:11)    When Dr. Verghese sees patients, what are some of the rituals he practices?

(41:12)    Was medicine always Dr. Verghese’s calling?

We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at housecalls@hhs.gov with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.  

Dr. Abraham Verghese, Physician and Writer 

Instagram: @abraham.verghese.official

X: @abe_verghese

About Dr. Abraham Verghese

Dr. Abraham Verghese is a renowned physician, author, and educator, currently serving as the Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Medicine at the Stanford School of Medicine. He leads the PRESENCE center at Stanford. Dr. Verghese's work sits at the intersections of medical practice, humanism, and narrative, setting a higher bar for patient-centered care. In addition to two memoirs, he is the author of the two acclaimed and bestselling novels, “Cutting for Stone” and “The Covenant of Water.” In 2016, President Obama awarded him the National Humanities Medal; he is also the recipient of numerous honorary degrees. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy as well as the American Association of Arts & Sciences. His dedication to patient care and his promotion of bedside medicine creates a meaningful dialogue in the medical field.