The delivery of medical care is to do as much nothing as possible.

- Samuel Shem

The patient is the one with the disease

- Samuel Shem

At a cardiac arrest, the first procedure is to take your own pulse

- Samuel Shem

There is no body cavity that cannot be reached with a number fourteen needle and a good strong arm.

- Samuel Shem

I make my patients feel like they're still part of life, part of some grand nutty scheme instead of alone with their diseases. With me, they still fe…

- Samuel Shem

Yes, last year in interviewing. Empathy is when you repeat the last three words the patient says and nod your head.

- Samuel Shem