--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are so good at treating the symptoms…" description: "\"“We are so good at treating the symptoms and so lacking in curing the disease.”\" — James L. Rubart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/james-l-rubart-11954_doctor_we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms_273466.jpg" --- # We are so good at treating the symptoms and so lacking in… ![“We are so good at treating the symptoms and so lacking in curing the disease.” quote by James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/james-l-rubart-11954_doctor_we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms_273466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/james-l-rubart-11954_doctor_we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms_273466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/james-l-rubart-11954_doctor_we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms_273466.jpg) > ““We are so good at treating the symptoms and so lacking in curing the disease.”” [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on short‑term fixes neglects underlying causes, leading to recurring problems. **In simple terms:** Treating symptoms ignores root causes. Key Takeaway Address underlying issues, not just symptoms. Themes healthcare prevention systems systems thinking root causes symptoms Mood concerned critical Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - clinical practice - public health policy - patient education - research funding Key Concepts causal analysis systems theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we shift resources toward prevention? - What incentives keep us focused on quick fixes? A Different Perspective Treating symptoms can be necessary but insufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) ## Related quotes > [Being a physician, you can either treat the symptoms or cure the disease. This Congress has been treating the symptoms. It's time we cure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-heck/being-a-physician-you-can-either-treat-the-symptoms-or-cure-the/) [Joe Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-heck/) > [“Treating symptoms, teaching to the test, gathering statistics… all of these forms of engagement have something in common… blindness to the complexity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-bateson/treating-symptoms-teaching-to-the-test-gathering-statistics-all-of/) [Nora Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-bateson/) > [We can try to reform healthcare, but the fact is if we don't have a healthy food source, we are only treating the symptoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-oz/we-can-try-to-reform-healthcare-but-the-fact-is-if-we-don-t-have-a/) [Daphne Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-oz/) > [We'll be investing in basic science research with the goal of curing disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priscilla-chan/we-ll-be-investing-in-basic-science-research-with-the-goal-of-curing/) [Priscilla Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priscilla-chan/) > [Drugs are bad...Unless they're curing a disease, executing a murderer, clearing a clouded mind, inspiring art and music...Never mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/drugs-are-bad-unless-they-re-curing-a-disease-executing-a-murderer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's not about curing the disease, but healing the life; then the physical benefits come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/it-s-not-about-curing-the-disease-but-healing-the-life-then-the/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [We can't get at crime unless we know what language it speaks. Otherwise, we are just suppressing the cough, not curing the disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-boyle/we-can-t-get-at-crime-unless-we-know-what-language-it-speaks/) [Greg Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-boyle/) > [“If you are having mysterious sickness for years that doctors have had little success in treating, an intestinal parasite cleanse is always worth a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/if-you-are-having-mysterious-sickness-for-years-that-doctors-have-had/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [My parents wanted me to be a doctor. So I took up science, but then realised that my heart was not in it at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangna-ranaut/my-parents-wanted-me-to-be-a-doctor-so-i-took-up-science-but-then/) [Kangna Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangna-ranaut/) > [Pro wrestling is treating me very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-cargill/pro-wrestling-is-treating-me-very-well/) [Jade Cargill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-cargill/) > [I maY fallin love with you but the waY of you treating the love with me mayn't be the one I supposed too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjokkhatrilama/i-may-fallin-love-with-you-but-the-way-of-you-treating-the-love-with/) [SanjokKhatriLama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjokkhatrilama/) > [Treating girls right should be normal, not rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/treating-girls-right-should-be-normal-not-rare/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had a hard time treating my field as if it's horse racing, putting actors in competition against each other. I see how the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-had-a-hard-time-treating-my-field-as-if-it-s-horse-racing-putting/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [You can have information and ease of use and have artistic integrity at the same time. The art of being a good Web designer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-davidson/you-can-have-information-and-ease-of-use-and-have-artistic-integrity/) [Mike Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-davidson/) > [“Witnessing a selfless act brings tears to remind us how we should be treating others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/witnessing-a-selfless-act-brings-tears-to-remind-us-how-we-should-be/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) ## More by James L. Rubart > [“When someone sees something old they think it’s worth more than something new.” I’ll give them that. The history, imagining who might have stood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/when-someone-sees-something-old-they-think-it-s-worth-more-than/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“ I am a child of the everlasting King. I am forgiven. I am a warrior. I am cloaked in righteous armor. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/i-am-a-child-of-the-everlasting-king-i-am-forgiven-i-am-a-warrior-i/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Sheila Waterson had been his high-school sweetheart. College sweetheart as well. And when they broke up—and even though Brock had been the one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/sheila-waterson-had-been-his-high-school-sweetheart-college/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“On your heart, what are you hearing from God?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/on-your-heart-what-are-you-hearing-from-god/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“The one who gets his validation from what he does is dying. The one who gets his validation from who he is, from who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/the-one-who-gets-his-validation-from-what-he-does-is-dying-the-one/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Reece shook his head. "No, just the opposite. We'll stay out." "What?" Brandon frowned. Dana stared at Reece with a look of horror. "It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/reece-shook-his-head-no-just-the-opposite-we-ll-stay-out-what-brandon/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Utterly engulfed, And wanting more. Buried, Drowned, Intoxicated, With the vastness of love. Losing myself as the waves wash over me, Through me, Surrounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/utterly-engulfed-and-wanting-more-buried-drowned-intoxicated-with-the/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Chose the wrong door, you see. No, that's not right. That's wrong. Reverse that. Strike that. Didn't choose the door. Should have gone through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/chose-the-wrong-door-you-see-no-that-s-not-right-that-s-wrong-reverse/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“You are no one and you are everyone. You are glorious and you are nothing. You are mountains and valleys. You are glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/you-are-no-one-and-you-are-everyone-you-are-glorious-and-you-are/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“No! He tried to shout out but the water surged into his mouth and lungs choking his cry. Then darkness. And nothingness. Always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/no-he-tried-to-shout-out-but-the-water-surged-into-his-mouth-and/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“You need to let some light into whatever dark closest you’re hanging out in at the moment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/you-need-to-let-some-light-into-whatever-dark-closest-you-re-hanging/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Across his forehead was stamped the word WORTHLESS. How ironic. Exactly what someone might find stamped on his own forehead if they could see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/across-his-forehead-was-stamped-the-word-worthless-how-ironic-exactly/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Your heart broke again and again, and you tried to fix the pieces with the salves of the world. But they can only dull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/your-heart-broke-again-and-again-and-you-tried-to-fix-the-pieces-with/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“When you wish upon objects in the sky, Not knowing if you’ll live or die, Heal my heart and heal my head, And for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/when-you-wish-upon-objects-in-the-sky-not-knowing-if-you-ll-live-or/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) > [“Do you always have to lay out our options like a professor?" Brandon snapped his fingers. Marcus's face turned red. "But I am a--"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/do-you-always-have-to-lay-out-our-options-like-a-professor-brandon/) [James L. Rubart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) [Explore all 57 James L. Rubart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/) ## More Doctor quotes > [Many patients imagine that they have tried everything. True, they have used many remedies, but they have never had the cause of their infirmity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-palmer/many-patients-imagine-that-they-have-tried-everything-true-they-have/) [Daniel D. Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-palmer/) > [I think people need to be comfortable questioning the authority of a doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susannah-cahalan/i-think-people-need-to-be-comfortable-questioning-the-authority-of-a/) [Susannah Cahalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susannah-cahalan/) > [The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-doctor-who-diagnosed-me-with-als-or-motor-neuron-disease-told-me/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/every-patient-carries-her-or-his-own-doctor-inside/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [“As a special branch of general philosophy, pathogenesis had never been explored. In my opinion it had never been approached in a strictly scientific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-cendrars/as-a-special-branch-of-general-philosophy-pathogenesis-had-never-been/) [Blaise Cendrars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-cendrars/) > [A creative space is an important thing. There are so many studios that feel like doctor's offices in Nashville. I couldn't write there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/a-creative-space-is-an-important-thing-there-are-so-many-studios-that/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) John Randolph of Roanoke > [The miracle drugs (neuroleptics) cause the worst plague of brain damage in medical history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-breggin/the-miracle-drugs-neuroleptics-cause-the-worst-plague-of-brain-damage/) [Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-breggin/) > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I've never bought this idea of taking a therapeutic distance. If I see a student or house staff cry, I take great faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/i-ve-never-bought-this-idea-of-taking-a-therapeutic-distance-if-i-see/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [Heart surgeons do not have the world's smallest egos: when you ask them to name the world's three leading practitioners, they never can remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/heart-surgeons-do-not-have-the-world-s-smallest-egos-when-you-ask/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Thankfully, I found a doctor at Presbyterian Hospital in New York, Scott Hammer, who diagnosed my chronic fatigue as the Epstein-Barr virus, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-halpern/thankfully-i-found-a-doctor-at-presbyterian-hospital-in-new-york/) [Tucker Halpern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-halpern/) > [My parents are so supportive of whatever we want to do and completely nurtured that, and they're so proud of that as well. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-john-kamen/my-parents-are-so-supportive-of-whatever-we-want-to-do-and-completely/) [Hannah John-Kamen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-john-kamen/) > [Before we can wave the handkerchief, we have to have a cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-dangoor/before-we-can-wave-the-handkerchief-we-have-to-have-a-cold/) [Robert D Dangoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-dangoor/) > [Tuberculosis, starvation, fatigue, and there are many who have no desire to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/tuberculosis-starvation-fatigue-and-there-are-many-who-have-no-desire/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) [Browse all 3,922 Doctor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We are so good at treating the symptoms and so lacking in curing the disease.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James L. Rubart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms-and-so-lacking-in-curing-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doctor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms-and-so-lacking-in-curing-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/james-l-rubart-11954_doctor_we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms_273466.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/james-l-rubart-11954_doctor_we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms_273466.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bc/james-l-rubart-11954_doctor_we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms_273466.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are so good at treating the symptoms and so lacking in curing the disease.” — James L. Rubart", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James L. Rubart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-rubart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We are so good at treating...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms-and-so-lacking-in-curing-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-rubart/we-are-so-good-at-treating-the-symptoms-and-so-lacking-in-curing-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```