Samuel Shem

“We were putting into these gomers our fear of death, but who knew if they feared death? Perhaps they welcomed death like…

— Samuel Shem

“Paranoia's OK," said Berry, "it's just a more primitive defense. If you think someone's watching you, you think you're not alone.”

— Samuel Shem

The delivery of medical care is to do as much nothing as possible.

— Samuel Shem

“Law XIII. THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL CARE IS TO DO AS MUCH NOTHING AS POSSIBLE”

— Samuel Shem

Yes, last year in interviewing. Empathy is when you repeat the last three words the patient says and nod your head.

— Samuel Shem

“Basch: So why don't you ask her out? The Runt: I'm scared she wouldn't like me and say no. -So what? What…

— Samuel Shem

“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let…

— Samuel Shem

“Every intern makes mistakes. The important thing is neither to make the same mistakes twice nor to make a whole bunch of…

— Samuel Shem

There is no body cavity that cannot be reached with a number fourteen needle and a good strong arm.

— Samuel Shem

“I found myself thinking of Potts as a tragic figure, a guy who'd been a happy towheaded kid you'd love to take…

— Samuel Shem

The patient is the one with the disease

— Samuel Shem

“Life's like a penis; When it's soft you can't beat it; When it's hard you get screwed. - The Fat Man, Medical…

— Samuel Shem

“But gomers are not just dear old people,” said Fats. “Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human…

— Samuel Shem

“Sometimes, drunk, I ruminate on the state of my liver, and think of all the cirrhotics I have watched turn yellow and…

— Samuel Shem

“It's an incredible paradox that being a doctor is so degrading and yet is so valued by society”

— Samuel Shem

At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to take your own pulse

— Samuel Shem

I make my patients feel like they're still part of life, part of some grand nutty scheme instead of alone with their…

— Samuel Shem

“A BMS hears hoofbeats outside his window, the first thing he thinks of is a zebra”

— Samuel Shem

“To do nothing for the gomers was to do something, and the more conscientiously I did nothing the better they got.”

— Samuel Shem