One aspect of the medical profession that doesn’t often garner a great deal of public attention is that of caring for patients who are dying. For Mimi Dunne, MD, the relief of suffering has been her life’s calling — specifically the mission of relieving mental and social suffering in the lives of terminal patients, and helping them and their families find solace and meaning as they face mortality. This week, we ask Dr. Dunne to share insights and lessons from her experience in palliative care.
In this episode, you will hear about:
- What palliative care entails and what kinds of physicians specialize in it- 02:06
- Dr. Dunne’s path from emergency care to palliative medicine - 3:36
- Common misconceptions about palliative care - 7:43
- Stories of a pivotal patient case that illuminates Dr. Dunne’s career - 11:33
- What it is like to accompany patients at their end of life - 15:59
- A discussion of Narrative Medicine and storytelling - 23:44
- A discussion of the Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware - 29:29
Works, Organizations, and Individuals Discussed:
The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
The Center to Advance Palliative Care
Dr. Diane Meier, professor of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
Bill Moyer’s PBS docu-series Healing in the Mind
Dr. Laura Carstensen of the Stanford Center on Longevity
Dr. Ira Byock’s work on Developmental Tasks of the End of Life
Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness by Dr. Rita Charon
Professor Dan McAdams’ work on Narrative Identity
The Top Five Regrets of the Dyingby Bronnie Ware
Visit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.
Copyright The Doctor’s Art Podcast 2022
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
