Abraham Verghese

Medicine Ethiopian-American 1955 100 quotes

Physician and author emphasizing bedside manner, said 'The patient is the one who holds all the cards.'

Quotes by Abraham Verghese

The human heart, in all its complexity, is the most fascinating organ.

Speech

To heal is to make whole, to restore balance.

Interview

The patient is the ultimate teacher.

Speech

We are all bound by the fragility of our bodies, and the strength of our spirits.

Cutting for Stone 2009

The greatest challenge in medicine is to maintain compassion in the face of overwhelming odds.

Interview

The physician's role is to be a beacon of hope in times of darkness.

Speech

The human body is a testament to evolution, a marvel of engineering.

Interview

To truly care for a patient is to enter their world, to understand their fears and their hopes.

Speech

The practice of medicine is a constant dance between knowledge and intuition.

Interview

The most profound moments in medicine are often the quietest, the most intimate.

Speech

You live with your intuition, and only your intuition.

Cutting for Stone 2009

The job of a surgeon is not just to cut, but to heal the whole person.

My Own Country 1994

In medicine, we are not just treating diseases; we are treating people.

Speech at Stanford 2010

The art of medicine is in the human touch.

Cutting for Stone 2009

Life is a series of incisions, some we make, some made upon us.

Cutting for Stone 2009

A doctor's greatest tool is empathy.

The Tennis Partner 1998

We are all bound by the stories we tell ourselves.

Cutting for Stone 2009

Healing begins with listening.

Interview with NPR 2011

In the operating room, precision is poetry.

Cutting for Stone 2009

Medicine is a calling, not a career.

TED Talk 2010