KevinMD January 19, 2026
Professor and coach Kathleen Muldoon discusses their article “Why humanity in medicine requires peace with a spine.” Kathleen explores the dangerous misconception that peace in health care means silence or compliance. The conversation highlights how teaching medical students to smooth their edges and avoid conflict often leads to burnout, moral injury, and emotional numbness. By redefining peace as an active skill that requires a spine, Kathleen outlines how clinicians can navigate hierarchy and uncertainty without erasing their own humanity. This episode examines the vital difference between keeping the peace and protecting dignity in high-pressure clinical environments. Real professionalism demands the courage to pause and stay present when the room feels chaotic.
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Transcript
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