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Abraham Verghese Thinks Medicine Can Do Better (Update)

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May 3, 2025

Guest

Abraham Verghese

Abraham Verghese, a physician and best-selling author known for novels like Cutting for Stone, shares profound insights on the healing aspect of medicine versus mere curing. He emphasizes the need for doctors to prioritize patient interaction over technology and electronic health records. Verghese reflects on his unique journey from Ethiopia to America, highlighting the importance of empathy in healthcare during the early AIDS epidemic. He also discusses the integration of humanism in medicine and the invaluable role that personal narratives play in fostering change.

46:59

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Episode notes

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ANECDOTE

From Orderly Back to Medicine

Abraham worked as a hospital orderly after fleeing Ethiopia, gaining valuable insight into patient care.
A forgotten medical textbook reignited his passion for medicine.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Frontline AIDS Care in Tennessee

Abraham Verghese found himself on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic in rural Tennessee unexpectedly.
He followed 100 HIV patients in a small population, learning much from them despite the pain.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Healing Through Presence

Visiting a homebound HIV patient deeply reassured the patient and family despite lack of medical cure.
This reflected the healing power of presence beyond physical treatment.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

From Ethiopia to America: A Healing Journey

01:51 • 9min

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From Consulting to Academia: A Journey of Reflection

10:50 • 7min

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Navigating the Human Experience in Medicine

17:48 • 15min

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Humanism in Medicine: Challenges and Narratives

32:54 • 6min

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Navigating Fiction and Medicine

38:31 • 12min

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Exploring Injustice Through Tuberculosis

50:25 • 2min

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#4011

• Mentioned in 9 episodes

The Covenant of Water

Abraham Verghese

The Covenant of Water, set in Kerala on South India's Malabar Coast, spans the years 1900 to 1977. The novel revolves around three generations of an Orthodox Saint Thomas Christian family, particularly the life of Mariamma, a twelve-year-old girl who marries a 40-year-old widower and becomes the matriarch known as Big Ammachi. The family is plagued by 'The Condition', a mysterious affliction where at least one member of each generation dies by drowning. The story intertwines with the life of Digby Kilgore, a Scottish doctor, and explores themes of family, faith, love, loss, and medical progress. The novel is a testament to the hardships of past generations and the interconnectedness of lives through time and space.

#7159

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

Cutting for Stone

Abraham Verghese

The novel tells the story of twin brothers Marion and Shiva Stone, born of a secret union between an Indian nun and a British surgeon. Orphaned at birth, they grow up in Ethiopia, bound by a deep connection and a shared fascination with medicine. The story follows their journey through love, loss, and the complexities of family, as they navigate their lives from Ethiopia to New York City. The book delves into themes of love, betrayal, forgiveness, and the unbreakable bonds of family, set against the backdrop of medical miracles and the tumultuous history of Ethiopia.

#6669

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

The Citadel

A. J. Cronin

The Citadel follows the life of Andrew Manson, a young and idealistic Scottish doctor, as he navigates the challenges of practicing medicine across interwar Wales and England. The novel confronts traditional medical ethics and highlights issues of social and health inequalities, drawing from Cronin's own experiences as a physician. It is noted for its influence on the formation of the National Health Service.

#24947

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

My Own Country

Abraham Verghese

My Own Country: A Doctor's Story by Abraham Verghese recounts his time as an infectious disease specialist in Johnson City, Tennessee, during the early years of the AIDS epidemic. The book explores themes of empathy, prejudice, and the human condition as Verghese becomes deeply involved in the lives of his patients. It is a powerful narrative that blends medicine with personal reflection, highlighting the challenges faced by both patients and healthcare providers in a conservative community.

#668

• Mentioned in 36 episodes

Uncle Tom's cabin

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Published in 1852, 'Uncle Tom’s Cabin' is a seminal work by Harriet Beecher Stowe that depicts the harsh realities of slavery in the United States. The novel follows the story of Uncle Tom, a dignified and religious enslaved man, and Eliza, a fugitive slave, among other characters. It highlights the cruelty and injustices of the slave system and the emotional toll on enslaved individuals and their families. The book was a massive success, selling over 300,000 copies in its first year and becoming the second-best-selling book of the 19th century after the Bible. It played a significant role in fueling the abolitionist cause and is credited with influencing public opinion on slavery.

#8146

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

Harrison's Textbook of Medicine

None

Harrison

#17975

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Gray's anatomy

selected writings

John Gray

John Gray's *Gray's Anatomy* is a collection of essays spanning three decades, critiquing the notion of progress and exploring themes such as liberalism, conservatism, and environmentalism. Gray argues that the pursuit of progress often leads to disastrous consequences and suggests embracing a more present-focused life. His work draws on diverse philosophical influences, including Schopenhauer and Lao Tzu.

Abraham Verghese is a physician and a best-selling author — in that order, he says. He explains the difference between curing and healing, and tells Steve why doctors should spend more time with patients and less with electronic health records.

SOURCES:
- Abraham Verghese, professor of medicine at Stanford University and best-selling novelist.

RESOURCES:
- The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese (2023).
- “Abraham Verghese’s Sweeping New Fable of Family and Medicine,” by Andrew Solomon (The New York Times, 2023).
- “Watch Oprah’s Emotional Conversation with Abraham Verghese, Author of the 101st Oprah’s Book Club Pick” (Oprah Daily, 2023).
- “How Indian Teachers Have Shaped Ethiopia’s Education System,” by Mariam Jafri (The Quint, 2023).
- “How Tech Can Turn Doctors Into Clerical Workers,” by Abraham Verghese (The New York Times Magazine, 2018).
- Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese (2009).
- “Culture Shock — Patient as Icon, Icon as Patient,” by Abraham Verghese (The New England Journal of Medicine, 2008).
- “The Cowpath to America,” by Abraham Verghese (The New Yorker, 1997).
- My Own Country: A Doctor’s Story, by Abraham Verghese (1994).
- “Urbs in Rure: Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Rural Tennessee,” by Abraham Verghese, Steven L. Berk, and Felix Sarubbi (The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 1989).

EXTRAS:
- “Are You Suffering From Burnout?” by No Stupid Questions (2023).
- “Would You Rather See a Computer or a Doctor?” by Freakonomics, M.D. (2022).
- “How Do You Cure a Compassion Crisis?” by Freakonomics Radio (2020).
- The Citadel, by A. J. Cronin (1937).
- Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852).

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