In this Mindworks in Conversation, family physician Dr. Andre Lijoi and Johns Hopkins chaplain and medical journalist Elizabeth Tracey explore an enduring question in medicine: Is empathy something we’re born with - or something clinicians must intentionally cultivate?
Dr. Lijoi sees empathy as a clinical skill that must be practiced deliberately, while Tracey suggests it’s an innate human quality that often gets buried by the rigors of medical training. Together, they examine how narrative, presence, and simple shifts in behavior can restore human connection at the heart of care.
Key themes from the conversation:
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The tension between innate empathy and trained empathy in clinical settings
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How technology can distance-or reconnect—patients and providers
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The patient as teacher: what listening deeply really looks like
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Why presence and reflection are essential in narrative-based healthcare
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Small actions that create space for meaning and connection
