Download or read book Characteristics of Compassion written by Helen Meldrum and published by Jones & Bartlett Learning. This book was released on 2009-09-29 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Characteristics of Compassion: Portraits of Exemplary Physicians profiles recipients of the prestigious "Excellence in Medicine" award given by the American Medical Association. Today's physicians are faced with many challenges and can no longer devote the greater part of their working hours directly to patient care. They are presented with reams of insurance and legal-related paperwork, the constant threat of malpractice, and a burgeoning patient population. Despite these obstacles, some physicians enter the profession with deeply held convictions, hopes, and idealism, and go on to excel not just as medical doctors, but as human beings. Characteristics of Compassion: Portraits of Exemplary Physicians uncovers what sets these outstanding doctors apart from their peers to inspire other medical professionals and their patients. This thought provoking book provides first hand accounts from the front lines of medicine and identifies a rich description of traits shared by today's leading physicians.