In virtually every clip, while the student was saying
what he or she had been taught to say to close the
interview, namely: "Is there anything else you would
like to tell me?", every single one was noticeably
shaking his or her head from side to side, non-
verbally conveying the message: "No, please, don't
tell me any more!"
Your Own Authority
When I started work at the medical center, I was
given three long white coats which have "Dr. Kabat-
Zinn / Department of Medicine" neatly embroidered
on the pocket. They have hung on the back of my
door now for fifteen years, unused.
To me, these white coats are a symbol of exactly
what I don't need in my job. I suppose they are a
good thing for physicians, enhancing as they do the
aura of authority and thus the positive placebo effect
with their patients. The aura is augmented further if
there is a stethoscope hanging out of the pocket at
just the right angle. Young doctors sometimes try in
their enthusiasm to go this one better and wear it with