1. Medicine as a Spiritual Practice
Dharma Doctors
Medicine as a Spiritual Practice
Patricia Lynn Dobkin, PhD
McGill University
Department of Medicine

2. “The best way to find yourself is to loose yourself in the service of others.”
Ghandi

3. Dr. Albert Schweitzer

4. Dr. Paul Farmer

5. Dr. James Orbinski

6. Dr. Joan Halifax

7. Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen

8. Dr. Balfour Mount

9. Mindful Clinical Practice
Moment-to-moment purposeful attentiveness to one’s own mental processes during everyday work with the goal of practicing with clarity and compassion.

10. Characteristics of a Mindful Clinician:
1. Attentive

11. Characteristics of a Mindful Clinician:
2. Curious

12. Characteristics of a Mindful Clinician:
3. Beginner’s Mind

13. Characteristics of a Mindful Clinician:
4. Presence
Dobkin, P.L., Lucena, R.J.M. (2016) Mindful Medical Practice and the Therapeutic Alliance. The International Journal of Whole Person Care, 3(1):34-45.

14. Mindful Clinical Encounter
Dobkin, P.L. (2011). Mindfulness and Whole Person Care. In: Hutchinson, T.A. (Ed.). Whole Person Care:
A New Paradigm for the 21st Century. 1st ed. p

15. Mindful Congruence Self Other Context
Hutchinson, T.A., Dobkin, P.L. (2015) Mindful Congruence and Medical Specialists.
Le Spécialiste, 17(1):31-2.

16. How the 8–fold path intersects with medical practice
Right mindfulness and concentration: the inner work enables
her or him to take the other steps on the Path
Right effort: balance work and personal life to prevent burnout
Right View: diagnosis
Right thought: insight
Right action: treatment
Right livelihood: relief of suffering

17. How can a doctor promote healing in patients?
Dr. Kearney
Dr. Mount
Dr. Cassel
Dr. Hutchinson
Dr. Siegel
Dobkin, P.L. (2016) The HeArt of healing. Canadian Family Physician.62:624-5

20. Dharma Doctors’ voices
Non-judging: Dr. Dennis Dobkin
Patience: Dr. Schachter
Beginner’s Mind: Dr. Kearsley
Trust: Dr. Gonsalves
Non-striving: Dr. Frolic
Acceptance: Dr. Rappaport

21. Dharma Doctors’ voices
Letting be: Dr. Liben
Gratitude: Dr. Baron
Gentleness: Ms. Osorio
Generosity: Dr. Coles
Empathy: Dr. Phillips
Loving Kindness: Dr. Krasner

22. How can you, whether you are a person who is ill or a clinician be part of the healing process in the context of medical care?
A doctor cannot heal you; s/he can facilitate this inner work
by accompanying you in your illness journey right up to the
moment of your death.
Dobkin, P.L. (2016) Healing in Western Medicine (Editorial). The International Journal of Whole Person Care, 3(2):1-2.

23. Thank you, Merci, Metta…