Last week, we started a class called \u201cDeath and Dying\u201d (doesn\u2019t it sound fun?).\u00a0 Jokes aside, this class is a valuable component of the medical school curriculum. Physicians deal with death on a regular basis\u2014some every day, and others every hour. During one of our discussions about a patient, a small tear rolled down my cheek. I quickly wiped it away in embarrassment, pinched myself to \u201cget my act together,\u201d and hoped no one had seen. Later that day, I wondered what would have happened if another student had seen me almost cry? Would their opinion of me change?<\/p>\n
I am a \u201ccrier.\u201d Not when I am faced with my own struggles, but when those I love go through happy or sad times, that\u2019s when the waterworks kick in. This has me worried. I know that crying is seen as a sign of weakness. Some would even call it unprofessional, and I can\u2019t blame them. Our profession teaches us to set personal and emotional problems aside. But what happens when our profession is the cause <\/em>of these emotions?<\/p>\n A recent discussion we had in class answered my questions. It turns out that crying is okay<\/em>. Of course, this does not mean we should break down every time a patient has to spend an extra day in the ED, but it does mean we can be vulnerable in a highly professional setting. One of the pediatric oncologists shared a special patient experience with us. She had always shied away from crying in front of her patients. However, one day after a family had received especially disheartening news, she unintentionally teared up in the clinic room. This was well received by the patient\u2019s family\u2014the patient\u2019s mother told her, \u201cIt let me know you cared.\u201d From that point on, the physician\u2019s relationship with the family was altered\u2014an unbreakable, unspeakable bond was formed.<\/p>\n This alleviated a few of my fears concerning the display of raw emotion. We are in a profession where humans care for other humans. It is natural to cry. In fact, we become physicians because <\/em>we deeply care and love others. Showing this empathy is not a sign of weakness\u2014it is a sign of power.<\/p>\n Yet, there are some important points to remember about crying. Though releasing a few tears is okay, you cannot become a mascara-stained mess.<\/p>\n\n