Above all, the impact of this initial connection between us on his engagement in the care journey filled me with a profound sense of accomplishment. What would have become of Bernard without this connection? This experience confirmed for me the importance of an authentic connection with the patient.

Rémi Esclassan reflects on bonding with a patient over his tattoo, which illustrated the profound beauty and complex nature of health care.

The essay read in this episode was published in the Teaching and Learning Moments column in the December 2024 issue of Academic Medicine. Read the essay at academicmedicine.org.