This provocative talk challenges the assumption that empathy is always beneficial in healthcare. Drawing on a real-life story of a burnt-out HIV clinician and a striking question from a medical student - “Is not caring always a bad thing?”- the talk explores how excessive emotional identification with patients may actually contribute to moral suffering, burnout, and compromised care.

Using insights from neuroscience, including the work of Tania Singer and Olga Klimecki, we’ll distinguish between empathy - the sharing of another’s pain -and compassion - a prosocial, action-oriented response grounded in warmth and care. While empathy can trigger distress and self-related overwhelm, compassion offers a more resilient, sustainable foundation for healthcare work.

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