Raúl de Velasco is director of Clinical Ethics at the
University of Miami Bioethics Program and Chair of the Baptist Health
Bioethics Committee. He says. "I am a physician who practiced Nephrology for over 30 years and had a
very large practice. My full training in medicine was at the University
of Miami. Most of my patients were on dialysis and needed kidney
transplants, they had a lot of problems, you learn how to detach from
their suffering but as I did that almost as a survival mechanism the
practice of medicine became less enjoyable more about numbers than of
people."
Raúl saw the importance of empathy for doctors and has been
working to promote empathy in the medical field. He is also looking
at developing a mutual empathic relationship between doctors and patients.
We held two interviews about his studies and work on empathy. In the second
interview, Raúl walked thought his Clinical Empathy Slide Show
Presentation. The presentation discusses;
1. Psychology of Empathy
2. Objectification and the ‘wiring’
3. Caring in Medicine
4. The Practice of Empathy
5. Problems with Empathy
(Video
Transcriptions: If you would like to take empathic action
and create a transcription of this video, check
the volunteers page. The transcriptions will make it easier for
other viewers to quickly see the content of this video.)
Brochure
* Date: November 2nd, 2013
* Location: Golden Tulip Serenada Hotel, Hamra, Beirut
"This activity is the 7thNational
Conference held by the Salim El-Hoss Bioethics and Professionalism
Program at the American University of Beirut Faculty of Medicine. It
aims at bringing physicians, residents, members of the healthcare team,
nurses, public health professionals, and psychologists from all over
Lebanon together to discuss issues pertaining to medicine in general and
the relationship between the healthcare provider and the patient in
particular.
"
Notes:
I am a physician who practiced Nephrology for over 30 years and had a
very large practice. My full training in medicine was at the University
of Miami. Most of my patients were on dialysis and needed kidney
transplants, they had a lot of problems, you learn how to detach from
their suffering but as I did that almost as a survival mechanism the
practice of medicine became less enjoyable more about numbers that of
people.
The emphasis on patient’s autonomy made that move easier but I realized
that something was wrong. I looked for answers in the study of
philosophy and ethics. I began to work with Dr. Kenneth Goodman a
bioethicist at the medical school and he suggested I should get formal
training in philosophy which I did. My breakthrough came when Dr. Slote
joined the Faculty in the Philosophy Dpt. and began his journey into
Empathy. I was extremely lucky as I was able to witness his incredible
knowledge of philosophy and ethics. I finished all the requirements for
my Master and I am presently writing my Thesis and talking much longer
than I thought as I keep changing its emphasis on different aspects of
empathy. Prof. Slote is my mentor. I stopped practicing medicine full
time but I am now the Chair of Clinical Ethics of the Baptist Health
System a system of 8 hospitals
I have not published but I enclose a presentation I made for the
Department of Medicine Medical Grand Rounds at the University of Miami
Miller School of Medicine where I am Director of Clinical Ethics and
Voluntary Associate of Medicine in the Dpt. of Nephrology and article I
wrote on John Gregory, arguable the father of modern medical ethics
The Return of Doctor John
Gregory
There are two main methods of medical ethics. One is grounded in
principles and duties, expressed in the form of a code of medical
ethics; the other in the belief that medical ethics is best grounded in
the virtues expressed in the character of an empathic physician.
P.S. you might be aware that Michael talks
about the warm feeling of empathy we get when we observe an empathic
action or behavior. It is interesting that both of you end your e-mails
with you ‘warmly’ and Michael with ‘warm regards’.
Brochure
