--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The doctor I would want for myself or for…" description: "\"The doctor I would want for myself or for anyone else I cared about would be one who understands that disease is more than just a clinical entity; it i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/bernie-siegel-2465_about_the-doctor-i-would-want-for-myself-or-fo_1472640.jpg" --- # The doctor I would want for myself or for anyone else I… ![“The doctor I would want for myself or for anyone else I cared about would be one who understands that disease is more than just a clinical entity; it is an experience and a metaphor, with a message that must be listened to.” quote by Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/bernie-siegel-2465_about_the-doctor-i-would-want-for-myself-or-fo_1472640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/bernie-siegel-2465_about_the-doctor-i-would-want-for-myself-or-fo_1472640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/bernie-siegel-2465_about_the-doctor-i-would-want-for-myself-or-fo_1472640.jpg) > “The doctor I would want for myself or for anyone else I cared about would be one who understands that disease is more than just a clinical entity; it is an experience and a metaphor, with a message that must be listened to.” [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A good doctor sees illness as a lived experience, not just a clinical condition, and listens to its story. **In simple terms:** Doctors should hear patients’ stories. Key Takeaway Seek clinicians who value holistic care. Themes healthcare empathy patient‑centered care Mood compassionate thoughtful Type philosophical clinical When to use this quote - clinical consultations - chronic illness management - mental health care Key Concepts narrative medicine psychosocial aspects meaning making Questions to Reflect On - How does listening change treatment? - What stories shape your health journey? A Different Perspective Medical training often emphasizes pathology over narrative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Anyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anyone/) [Cared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cared/) [Cared Understands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cared-understands-5347510/) [Clinical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clinical/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Doctor Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor-want-2581348/) [Else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/else/) [Entity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entity/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Listened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listened/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/message/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Metaphor Message](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor-message-2313598/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Understands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understands/) [Understands Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understands-disease-881970/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Cared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-cared-2519262/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [“Nine tenths of the ills from which intelligent people suffer spring from their intellect. They need at least a doctor who understands the disease.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/nine-tenths-of-the-ills-from-which-intelligent-people-suffer-spring-2/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Dance has been my medium, my metaphor, my message and my meditation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-roth/dance-has-been-my-medium-my-metaphor-my-message-and-my-meditation/) [Gabrielle Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-roth/) > [The kind of doctor I want is one who when he's not examining me is home studying medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-kaufman/the-kind-of-doctor-i-want-is-one-who-when-he-s-not-examining-me-is/) [George S. Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-kaufman/) > [“Capability doesn't equal intent, Doctor. Do you want what she knows or not? 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In the penitentiaries, you won't hear gangbangers and criminals say, 'No, I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-brown/the-need-to-be-cared-for-is-the-base-of-everything-in-the/) [Jim Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-brown/) > [No use slaving for me and then saying you want to be cared for: who cares for a slave? If you come back, come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/no-use-slaving-for-me-and-then-saying-you-want-to-be-cared-for-who/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“All of our possessions want to be cared for, and they tell us that every time we look at them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-sasaki/all-of-our-possessions-want-to-be-cared-for-and-they-tell-us-that/) [Fumio Sasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-sasaki/) > [Even then, Vanderbilt was the premiere place for clinical pharmacology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-wood/even-then-vanderbilt-was-the-premiere-place-for-clinical-pharmacology/) [Alastair Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-wood/) > [When I released my first record, I was really in the middle of having made the decision to follow the clinical psychology path, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autre-ne-veut/when-i-released-my-first-record-i-was-really-in-the-middle-of-having/) [Autre Ne Veut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autre-ne-veut/) > [I have battled clinical depression and have come out of the other side. I've been free of it for many years now. Finding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/i-have-battled-clinical-depression-and-have-come-out-of-the-other/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > ['Normal' is not clinical, it's not autobiographical, and I don't claim to be objective. It's strictly my perceptions and thoughts about the people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/normal-is-not-clinical-it-s-not-autobiographical-and-i-don-t-claim-to/) [Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/) > [Colors are important. People are in clinical depression whether they are on medication or not. Neutrals are another form of medication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-stoddard/colors-are-important-people-are-in-clinical-depression-whether-they/) [Alexandra Stoddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-stoddard/) > [I see my job as being to facilitate the life of clinical researchers so that they can be more productive, and trying to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-wood/i-see-my-job-as-being-to-facilitate-the-life-of-clinical-researchers/) [Alastair Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-wood/) ## More by Bernie Siegel > [It is astounding how much the immune system is strengthened by reducing daily mental stress levels with either visualization or meditation. The other great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/it-is-astounding-how-much-the-immune-system-is-strengthened-by/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [No matter what the statistics say there is always a way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/no-matter-what-the-statistics-say-there-is-always-a-way/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [Live by your experience and do not let limited beliefs alter your life experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/live-by-your-experience-and-do-not-let-limited-beliefs-alter-your/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [For me, consciousness is non-local, not limited to the body, and can exist independent of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/for-me-consciousness-is-non-local-not-limited-to-the-body-and-can/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [There is no such thing as an incurable disease, only incurable people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/there-is-no-such-thing-as-an-incurable-disease-only-incurable-people/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [The Secret Language of Your Body truly is the essential guide to restore your body to its healthiest state and assist you to heal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/the-secret-language-of-your-body-truly-is-the-essential-guide-to/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [I think some people do want to die, and they will get a disease. There are people who know their lives are so troubled,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-think-some-people-do-want-to-die-and-they-will-get-a-disease-there/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [Feel your feelings. What you bring forth will save you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/feel-your-feelings-what-you-bring-forth-will-save-you/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [I know patients who bring a dozen roses to the doctor's office. And, boy, the next visit, nobody forgets that. You come in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-know-patients-who-bring-a-dozen-roses-to-the-doctor-s-office-and/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [I had patients who didn't die because they had too many pets to try to find homes for. It's why women live longer than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/i-had-patients-who-didn-t-die-because-they-had-too-many-pets-to-try/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [One of the best ways to change is to act as if you are the person you want to become. When you behave as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/one-of-the-best-ways-to-change-is-to-act-as-if-you-are-the-person-you/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [You can find examples of how little we value ourselves everywhere you look. The signs on the front of the convenience stores where Stephen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/you-can-find-examples-of-how-little-we-value-ourselves-everywhere-you/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [Thoughts are chemical. They can either kill us or cure us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/thoughts-are-chemical-they-can-either-kill-us-or-cure-us/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [I believe consciousness is non-local and a big part of what we experience with near death and past lives. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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