Should family physicians be empathetic? YES

When we answer the question “Should family physicians be empathetic?” in the affirmative, we are saying yes to empathy as it is defined by Hojat et al,¹ who state that the concept of empathy must be limited to its cognitive and behavioural dimensions. They define it as “a cognitive attribute that involves the ability to understand the patient’s inner experiences and perspective and a capability to communicate this understanding.”