What is the most important word in medicine? It is not what we teach doctors

While the other attributes of a much-accomplished surgeon might be hard to emulate, writes Ranjana Srivastava, ‘kindness I can do’. Photograph: PeopleImages/Getty Images

“What’s a Festschrift?” my youngest asks.

“In German it means ‘celebration writing’,” I say, “I’m going to an academic conference to honour a doctor.”