Language wields immense power in medicine, capable of both healing and harming. The metaphors we use, especially those of war, shape clinical care with unintended consequences. Physicians fighting disease risk turning patients into passive battlefields, blaming them for “failing” treatments, and remembering them in heroic obituaries of lost battles.

This enemy-focused approach shifts attention to technology, rendering patients unseen and unheard. While modern treatments save lives, patients can become victims of collateral damage.

In The Language of Medicine, Dr. Abraham Fuks reveals how words are potent drugs, needing careful tailoring to each patient to maximize benefits and avoid toxicity. He highlights our culture’s underestimation of listening, the very skill patients desire most from their doctors.

Drawing on research, patient experiences, medical student stories, and medical history, Dr. Fuks advocates for a clinical practice where humble physicians provide time and space for listening, choosing words and metaphors that foster healing.