He filled his lectures with his signature British wit and humour. Yet, the message was always loud and clear. Being an oncologist, he had great insight in communication with patients.
He was the first to teach us medical students about communication and professionalism: Kindness, empathy, delivering bad news, what to say when you don't know what to say. A decade later, out of the countless hours of lectures, his stood out.
Truly a big loss to the medical educators community.
Dr. Buckman's website
References
Buckman R. Communications and emotions. BMJ. 2002 Sep 28;325(7366):672. BMJ website
Buckman R. Words that make a difference: enhancing the "how" in "how we say it". Support Cancer Ther. 2006 Jan 1;3(2):127. Free PDF
Buckman R, Tulsky JA, Rodin G. Empathic responses in clinical practice: intuition or tuition? CMAJ. 2011 Mar 22;183(5):569-71. Pubmed
Rob Buckman was my closest friend at school at a time when I didn't find it easy to make friends or to be befriended. Together at his house in Hampstead, London we shared a love of jazz music (which I have made my profession) Spike Milligan, and broad Jewish humor. Though we went our separate ways I observed his innate compassion and irreverence grow as he himself grew in stature and reputation.
ReplyDeleteOlov hashalom Rob.
Yitgadal veyiskaddish ...
Freddie Hill, Sydney,Australia
Hi Freddie, Thank you for sharing this personal side of Dr. Buckman. It's a great loss.
ReplyDeleteif empathy is not authentic it becomes wrong
ReplyDeleteand many drs go into medecine for power and money and glory. the best you can is get is someone wth boudaries and the the worst weve all heeard of- .you simply cannot understand anothers pain unless you are in that situation yourself.dr. buckman was one of those rare people they call an empath he was able to combine real empathy with practical skill after bush there is not much hope fort the chldren ..all ..the good ones are dying in rapid succesion maybe rob heard about the delberatly induced cancers and the efforts to silence all dissent and gave up hope.he often discussed ideas differing from his ownon tv. those ideas and that empathy willbe sorely missed goodnite sweet prince