This book examines the discursive practices of physician assistants (PAs) in three different specialities, examining how they each linguistically construct their approach to clinical empathy. The book is structured as a series of case studies, with each of the analytical chapters built around the practices of one PA. Over the course of the four analytical chapters, the author illustrates how clinical empathy cannot be delineated into single utterances or even limited to a specific set of linguistic practices, instead arguing that that there are myriad ways in which providers can enact an empathic approach to patient-centered care. Taking an ethnographic discourse analysis approach, the book draws on audio recordings of PA-patient visits and interviews with both patients and providers. This volume provides essential insights for researchers, educators, and advanced students across Applied Linguistics, the Medical Humanities, Health Communication, and Clinical Medicine seeking to understand the linguistic foundations of empathic healthcare.

Staci Defibaugh is an Associate Professor at Old Dominion University, USA. Her research examines language use in health-related contexts, primarily the discourses of medical encounters involving nurse practitioners and physician assistants. She has also explored language use on social media with respect to COVID-19  and in direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.