Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 18, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
Published on: April 19, 2017
Beginner's mind
1Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
Abstract:
The concept of 'beginner's mind' invites the expert medical professional to be present to their patients, remaining curious and responsive in the face of the individuality of illness. Each patient is a universe of unknowns, presenting with suffering which cannot always be classified with a diagnosis. Improvisation and openness may not just benefit our patients enduring their patient journeys but may also revive and reconnect us with our own humanity.
Why This Matters To Me:
My experience as cancer patient brought home to me the value of encountering a doctor who was present and able to listen and respond to me as an individual. It did not necessarily take longer, but was about an attitude of heart.Like any professional, as GPs we are at risk of presumption and habitual thinking. Beginner's mind, that is recapturing the openness and curiosity modelled to us by children, can powerfully transform the medical encounter, allowing space for emergence of patient perspective and doctor response.
Key Message:
Embrace curiosity and learning into our expert clinical practice.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
Exploration...
High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
Introspection
Hindsight Biases
Principle of Angular Impulse and Momentum: Problem Solving
Initially, a free-body diagram of the system is drawn to illustrate all the forces acting upon the system, providing a crucial understanding of the dynamics at play. Then, the principle of angular impulse and momentum is...
First Impression

