Appleton A. Mason III, MD, will be the first to tell you that doctors can easily be preoccupied with the science and technology of medicine-often at the expense of personally connecting with their patients.
But in his new memoir, Dr. Mason shares how, over the years, his interactions with patients gradually taught him the incalculable power of the human connection to heal both patient and physician.
As he shares story after story, it's as if Dr. Mason invites you into his own process of empathy development through listening and understanding. While the patient names have been changed, every account is completely true.
You'll discover how humor really can serve as a kind of medicine and the surprising impact a bit of hope can have on a patient's progress. In an effort to provide a full and candid look at his life as a medical professional, Dr. Mason also admits his own struggles with depression, as well as mistakes he makes and how he reconciles them.
A compelling, insightful read for anyone interested in the medical field, these real-life stories will leave you marveling at the human spirit...and looking for ways to form more meaningful connections in your everyday life.
About the Author: Appleton A. Mason III, MD, graduated from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He completed residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics at Bassett Hospital, Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, and Boston City Hospital.
Dr. Mason went on to teach at the Tufts Medical School as an assistant professor, while also serving in family practice at the Matthew Thornton Health Plan (which later merged with the Hitchcock Clinic) in Nashua, New Hampshire. Twenty-two years later, he joined the faculty at the Albany Medical College Family Medicine Residency Program, where he also worked in geriatrics, hospice, and palliative care.
Dr. Mason is married, with two adult children, and currently lives in Prides Crossing, Massachusetts.
