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= = //Sandra K.// //Alexa T.// //Gabby M.// //Lauren L.//

__The Importance of Empathy__ It is a dull and dreary morning when a patient enters his doctor’s office, then waits for the nurse to call him. The [|doctor] examines him and, even though his symptoms do not appear serious, decides to order a blood test. When the results come back from the lab, it is discovered that the unfortunate patient has an early-stage cancer.

A student sits at her desk, twirling her pencil and playing with her hair, because she doesn’t understand the assignment given. Her teacher decides to spend a little extra time with the student, tutoring her, instead of allowing the student to fail. Ten years later, this student has become a successful writer, thanks to the encouragement of her teacher.

When a young African boy wakes up in the morning, he doesn’t ask for breakfast, despite his hunger. He knows that his parents don’t have the money for the food. This boy is one of the lucky ones. He still has his parents. To the east, in [|Afghanistan], a teenage girl wakes up, and she also does not request breakfast. Instead, she makes it herself, serving her husband before she eats. Their American counterparts overseas sit down at their kitchen table and take a moment to appreciate their blessings, imagining the worse situation they could be in.

Though the mentioned situations appear to have nothing in common, they, in fact, all demonstrated the characteristic of empathy. An online dictionary defines empathy as: “ //The intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of another//. (Dictionary)” In other words, feeling //with// someone through shared experiences. Empathy is extremely important in professions, education, and also on a global scale.

The importance of empathy is not only to be able to put yourself into someone else shoes, it is also being able to listen to a person and understand what they are going through. When a person is in a hospital, empathy is in great need. A doctor can never fully understand what a person needs or how they are truly feeling unless they take a moment to listen to the patient. “//Empathy -- identifying with and understanding another person's situation and feelings -- has been linked with improved patient satisfaction, including less anxiety and better compliance with treatment. Physicians, residents and medical students also show evidence of more satisfaction and less burnout if they provide empathy,"// said an article from the //Washington Post//. //(//[|//Washington)//] //.// In many cases, a doctor wants to prescribe medication for what they see immediately, without getting the completely story from the patient they are working with. A patient is likely to feel much more comfortable with an empathetic doctor than with a doctor who simply prescribes medicine. The Annie Apple Seed Project was quoted as saying: “…//Study found that doctors who showed empathy and acknowledged their patients' fears and anxieties were more effective than doctors who kept patients at an emotional arm's length"// (Clinical). The world is beginning to demand empathy as people are realizing its value. In many cases, however, it is difficult to tell who is actually becoming more empathetic, because empathy can be easily mistaken as sympathy. People who are ill or hospitalized are going to feel better when someone is trying to understand what they are going through, instead of simply feeling sorry for them. It is becoming more important to say, "//I understand what you are going through,"// instead of “//I feel sorry for you.//” Though two experiences will never be identical, a doctor can try to imagine what his patient is going through based on his own, similar experiences. A doctor who is more empathetic will realize that if he was ill, he would want to tell the doctor his opinion about his condition, or his emotions about his illness; in other words, he would want to tell the doctor why and how he was feeling. Realizing that empathy is “a medicine,” doctors should try to become more empathetic, or do whatever it takes to relate to the patient instead keeping a distance from them. Empathy is a necessary trait for all doctors in the medical world, not just a sprinkled characteristic for some.

An easier subject to relate to for the average teenager is a job dealing with childcare. While taking care of children, teenagers can get a better understanding of what their parents go through. Teens develop empathy while working with other children. An excellent example of this is [|babysitting]. The teen, through caring for another child, can get a feel of what it is like to be a parent. They have to feed the kids, entertain them, and help them get to sleep. This teen is gaining empathy for his parents because he is seeing what a parent goes through to raise a child. With empathy forming between a parent and teen, a stronger family bond is being formed. This is the same with a lot of relationships. If two people can relate to each other in experiences, they can appreciate everything about the other person and empathize with them.

[|Empathy is vital for teachers to demonstrate towards their students and vice versa]. When teachers and students take the time to develop a bond between one another, they both have a greater chance of understanding the other. A teacher can help form this bond by helping the student and telling stories of their own life that could relate to the student. The student plays a large role in the relationship as well. They need to empathize with the teacher and understand that teachers have lives beyond the classroom too. Of course, it may seem that it is a difficult task for a student to empathize with an adult; however, one will find that after if empathy is present in the bond, it will be a stronger relationship. A teacher lacking empathy towards her students may find that her students have a lower perfomance level. These less than ideal grades will impact the student's [|GPA], and could effect the college they attend, perhaps preventing them from attending their preferred college. Empathy from educators and students alike both can greatly impact a single students future.

Empathy on a global scale is important as wellbecause of the affect that disasters, terrorism, and other crisis have on countries; the global community must display empathy towards other nations when they are incapable of assiting themselves. For example, when natural disasters strike a nation, many countries are at the ready with empathetic aid. On January 12, when the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, more than 3 million people were in need of emergency assistance (Gerson). Almost immediatly after the devastating earthquake hit, a mass number of volunteers were sent to help. [|UNICEF], a world food organization donated to the cause, the Red Cross dispatched a relief team, and large medical ships were sent out to provide medical aid (Fox). One group that was especially empathetic to the situation in Haiti was the US Marines. Because the Marines are mulitcultural, some Marines who were natively Haitian started speaking to victims in their native language, which proved to be comforting. In addition, instead of giving out coupons, the Marines started to immediately hand out food. Instead of trying to invade upon the destroyed country, the Marines carefully set up secure structures where victims felt safe and tried to revive the community with the help of natives so that the community would continue to stay strong even after the Marines left. They also set out to help victims who needed medical attention, even delivering a baby on one of the medical ships. This kind of aid was not only given by the United States, but also by many other countries who empathized with the struggles of Haiti. Now, [|Haiti] is a stronger more secure place because of the efforts to rebuild.

An experience that takes a hit closer to home for many people in the United States was Hurricane Katrina, the disaster in New Orleans. Right after this horrific hurricane, more than a dozen different countries empathized with the situation and offered to send aid, including: money, supplies, doctors, medicine, and also volunteers (Disater). In Cuba, the leader [|Fidel Castro] even held a minute of silence for the victims of [|Hurricane Katrina]. Because many countries empathized and were willing to send aid, Katrina victims were able to be given better care at a faster rate. These experiences that a nation faces, however difficult they may be, help a nation to be able to draw on their previous experiences to empathize with other nations. Today, it is important for countries to display empathy for the situation in Sudan. [|Sudan], [|named the hungriest] place on earth, is home to many starving children. Because of an increase in tribal violence and a huge drought that hit the area more than two years ago, there is no food to buy (World). Many empathetic groups such as Save the Children, Medair, and the [|World Food Program] have given aid to these starving children in Sudan. As a result of these food programs, hundreds of starving and malnourished children have been saved. Natural disasters and starvation are only a few of the situations where it is important that nations are empathetic. Many countries face crisis with terrorism, homelessness and famine as well. Countries that are empathetic to other nation's disasters give aid and send help, which in turn allows for people all over the world to recognize empathy for humanity and the life struggles in different cultures.

Empathy has been transformed from a value to a necessity as it has become vital to professions, education, and world relations. It is no longer enough to say "I feel sorry for you". People want to know that others understand them and feel //with// them, not //for// them. People in Haiti will forever remember the help they received when they were in need. Today, a college degree is not enough for a doctor to secure a job; he must also be willing to work with and listen to his patients and colleages. In this age, being able to understand the struggles of another is paramount to success. While actions and words will be forgotten, the empathy shown to another will be remembered.

=** Works Cited **=

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Gardner, Amanda. "For Some Doctors, Empathy Is in Short Supply - Washingtonpost.com." //Washingtonpost.com - Nation, World, Technology and Washington Area News and Headlines//. Web. 12 May 2010. .

Gerson, Michael. “American’s Tenderhearted Legions in Haiti”. //Washington Post.// 7 May, 2010. <> "A Guide to the Business of Babysitting." //University of Illinois Extension-Urban Programs Resource Network - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign//. Web. 13 May 2010. .

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