Episode 82 – A neurosurgeon’s view of compassion in action – Jody Stern, MD

Apple Podcast | Spotify

Episode 82 | Duration: 33:34

Joseph “Jody” Stern, MD, is a board-certified neurosurgeon, author and speaker. In 2015, Dr. Stern lost his sister to a nearly year-long battle with leukemia. Through this loss, his encounters with medical professionals, and his own experience as a neurosurgeon, Dr. Stern realized the need to integrate compassion and empathy into the medical field. He has since become committed to deepening and humanizing the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Stern’s book, Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion, explores the impact of grief and loss on doctors and patients, and advocates for medical professionals to tap into their emotions when interacting with patients and their families. Dr. Stern currently serves as a professor at University of Michigan Medicine.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Stern shares the story of how his personal losses have led him to a new view of medicine and how to create safe, supportive environments for clinicians and patients alike. He delves into his work to advance compassion in action at University of Michigan Medicine, which involves communication training for neurosurgery residents, integration of palliative care into neurosurgery practice, and surgical ergonomics for surgeon wellbeing. Dr. Stern believes that by improving practice environments, we can increase the longevity, wellbeing and joy in practice for all healthcare team members.

Links related to Dr. Stern’s podcast episode

• Joseph D. Stern, MD website
• American Association for Physician Leadership article (membership required): Broken: Surgeon Work-related Injuries, Ergonomics, Prevention, and Burnout
• Washington Post article (subscription required): As a doctor, I’m trying to have more empathy for my patients — and myself
• New York Times article (subscription required): Grief as My Guide: How My Sister Made Me a Better Doctor