Toko●thanat●ology (n): The theoretical study of the parallels between birth and death, especially in medical care.

What do birth and death have in common? They both represent times of profound change, when patients and their families need emotional support and empathy from their caregivers-things they don't teach in medical school.

The practical skills and knowledge required to provide care in obstetrics and palliative care are essential. But dealing with the deeper meaning, the human connection, is equally important. The very nature of these events encourages the caregiver to walk alongside the patient, to assist rather than control.

In Bookends, Dr. Susan Boron explores the powerfully human aspects of caring for people at both ends of their lives. She shows how expertise in one area of care easily transfers to the other, increasing confidence and improving care and satisfaction for practitioner and patient alike.