When There Is No Cure, How Can We Heal?

House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy (@Surgeon_General) is a podcast hosted by the 21st U.S. Surgeon General. In each episode, Dr. Murthy and his guests explore how they navigate the messiness and uncertainties of life to find meaning and joy. By sharing openly what’s on our minds and in our hearts, we can find strength and healing through connection. Guests will include experts and thought leaders in their field who have found ways to forge deeper connections, showcase a human-centered view of public health, and build community and healing.

For doctors who spend years training to make their patients better, what happens when there is no cure?

This is how Dr. Abraham Verghese came of age as a physician.

At the height of the AIDS epidemic, he treated a rural population of dying young men, men his own age, who had no future and were often shunned by other doctors. Working with his AIDS patients, Dr. Verghese learned that treating the spirit can bring patients and their families an invaluable part of what they need when facing the incurable. As Dr. Verghese became renowned both as a doctor and a writer, he carried forward his rituals of personal focus on the patient and their families to keep humanity central to his medical practice.

Part 2 – On the Healing Power of Writing

In this part 2 of their conversation, the Surgeon General explores Dr. Abraham Verghese’s craft as a writer — what is his creative process? And what is the relationship between his writing and his work in medicine? The episode closes with Dr. Verghese sharing one of his favorite poems.