One line spoken by Dean Walcott, the rigid dean of the medical school and Adams’ chief antagonist, during a lecture to first-year medical students stereotypically summed up the mindset of physicians at the time: “I am going to train the humanity out of you and make you somebody better: doctors.” If you saw the film, you will recall, in Adam’s case, that included infusing humor and crazy antics into the clinical encounter.īoth in the film and in life, Adams took exception to how he perceived doctors traditionally acting - as superior to the patient. Hunter “Patch” Adams, to light: You have to treat the patient as well as the disease. Patch Adams brought one valuable lesson drawn from the life and career of Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams, as portrayed in the 1998 eponymous biopic, “Patch Adams.” The film, starring Robin Williams as the titular character, is not all fact but holds evergreen inspiration for providers, hospital administrators, and the healthcare community at large-specifically regarding the role interpersonal interactions with patients play in the quality of care. This post is the first of a series on medical lessons learned from movies.
