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Dean Brings Human Touch to Science

For Dr. Daniel Federman '49, it's all about interpersonal relations.

A charismatic smile and firm handshake greet all who enter the office of the dean for medical education at Harvard Medical School (HMS).

Federman, a Harvard success story from the start, will focus in his HMS Class Day speech on just that quality--the personal touch sometimes forgotten by hard-working, high-achieving physicians.

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In his speech today, entitled "A Doctor in the House," Federman will discuss the all-important doctor-patient relationship.

Federman is an expert on the topic. Besides having dealt with patients himself for many years, he teaches an HMS course called "Patient-Doctor."

Though a rapport with patients is important, Federman is also quick to remind his students that relationships are not the be-all and end-all of medicine.

"We are part of a highly rational and highly scientific field," he says.

A Harvard-Heavy History

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