Building Bridges with Your Doctor, D&D Wisdom, and Why AI Matters (Carefully)
Last updated: September 3, 2025 • By Jason — Deep Dive AI
Building Bridges with Your Doctor, Rolling D&D Wisdom, and Why AI Matters (Carefully)
A long-form reflection on a great visit with Dr. Priya Batta, how Intelligence and Wisdom differ (the Dungeons & Dragons way), and a balanced view of AI in medicine that keeps the human in the loop.
A Conversation That Stuck with Me
Every so often, you walk out of a doctor’s appointment and realize it wasn’t just another check-up. That’s how I felt after meeting with Dr. Priya Batta. Instead of the usual checklist—weight, blood pressure, prescriptions—the conversation turned into something more human. We laughed, we traded a few life stories, and I shared a bit about my YouTube project, Deep Dive AI. Her response made me smile: “I’ll subscribe.”
That moment reminded me of something simple but powerful: a good doctor–patient relationship is about more than medicine. It’s about trust, connection, curiosity, and the willingness to listen. If your doctor sees you as more than a chart number, you’ll feel safer telling the truth about symptoms and habits. And when you’re comfortable being honest, your plan of care gets better.
TL;DR: Caring is a clinical skill. Listening is a clinical skill. Trust improves outcomes.
Why Strong Doctor–Patient Relationships Matter
Medicine is science, yes—but it’s also profoundly human. We talk a lot about lab values and guidelines (and we should), but the conversation itself is a part of care. When the relationship is strong, people show up earlier, disclose more, and follow through better.
1) Trust
Trust lowers the friction to say the uncomfortable thing: the symptom you were embarrassed to mention, the supplement you forgot to list, the fear that kept you up at night.
2) Clarity
When people feel heard, they ask the next question. That next question is often where the real problem shows up.
3) Adherence
Understanding “why” turns instructions into choices you believe in—not chores you tolerate.
4) Calm
Anxiety drops when you have a partner. Calm brains think better and remember more.
Think of it like hiring a guide. You could explore an unfamiliar city alone, but a trusted guide helps you avoid dead ends, gets you to the good stuff faster, and keeps you safe. Same with health.
Intelligence vs. Wisdom — A D&D Analogy
In Dungeons & Dragons, character sheets separate Intelligence from Wisdom. It’s one of the most useful metaphors I know for real life—and for healthcare.
INTELLIGENCE (INT)
- Book smarts, analysis, technical knowledge
- “What does the research say?”
- Knows how to do the spell
WISDOM (WIS)
- Judgment, perception, life experience
- “Should we do this now—and why?”
- Knows when to cast the spell (or wait)
One of my favorite lines: Intelligence knows a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom knows not to put it in a fruit salad. Medicine runs on both. Doctors need intelligence to parse research and interpret scans; they need wisdom to choose the right path for this specific person, at this specific time.
Everyday Examples
- INT: You can recite the calorie counts. WIS: You design a routine you’ll actually keep.
- INT: You know the side effects list. WIS: You ask, “What bothers me most and how do we trade off?”
- INT: You can Google symptoms. WIS: You take findings to your doctor and collaborate.
AI in the Exam Room — The Conversation
I asked Dr. Batta what she thought about artificial intelligence in medicine. Her answer was refreshingly balanced: she sees AI as a useful resource, but she worries people might lean on it too hard—outsourcing judgment to a tool that should never replace a clinician’s wisdom.
I agreed. Then I made a simple pitch: let AI be an assistant, not an authority. Use it to handle the heavy lifting with data, so doctors can spend more time doing what only humans can do—listening, deciding, reassuring.
My 6 Principles for “AI, Carefully”
- Doctor-in-the-loop: AI suggests; the clinician decides.
- Explainable enough: Models should expose reasons or references when possible.
- Safety rails: Clear boundaries for what AI may/ may not do (no autonomous treatment decisions).
- Privacy by design: Patient data is minimized, encrypted, and access-controlled.
- Consent & clarity: People should know when AI assists and how their data is used.
- Bias checks: Regular audits for error patterns across populations.
What That Looks Like in Practice
- Chart summarization: Draft the summary; the doctor edits in minutes, not 30.
- Guideline look‑ups: Surface relevant recommendations; the doctor applies context.
- Risk flags: Nudge, not nag—“consider X” rather than “do X.”
- Patient education: Generate plain‑language handouts the clinician approves.
Used this way, AI amplifies intelligence so that clinicians can invest more in wisdom.
Practical Tips for Better Visits
If you want a more productive appointment (and a calmer one), try these steps. I use them myself.
- Write your top 3 goals for the visit. Put them at the top of your notes.
- Timeline your symptoms (first noticed, frequency, triggers, what helps/makes it worse).
- List meds & supplements (dose, timing, side effects). Snap a photo of the labels if that’s easier.
- Bring your “why” questions: Understanding motivations makes plans stick.
- Agree on next steps before you leave: tests, follow-ups, what to monitor, when to call.
- Summarize back what you heard (“teach-back”) to ensure you captured it right.
- Post-visit note: Email or portal message with any clarifications (brief and focused).
Why This Matters Beyond Medicine
Whether you’re rolling dice in D&D, cutting a video in Premiere Pro, or just navigating a busy week, the lesson holds: knowledge is essential, wisdom is irreplaceable, and technology can be the bridge between them. That appointment with Dr. Batta was really three conversations at once:
- A personal health check-in.
- A friendly philosophy chat on intelligence vs. wisdom.
- A forward-looking brainstorm on AI as helper, not ruler.
That trilogy is a good blueprint for modern life: learn widely, decide wisely, and use tools to support—not supplant—your humanity.
FAQ
Is this medical advice?
No. This is a personal reflection. Always consult your clinician for diagnosis or treatment decisions.
How should patients use AI today?
As a second opinion for learning: to collect questions, translate jargon, and prepare better conversations with your own clinician. Share AI printouts with your doctor and ask, “What here is relevant to me?”
What about data privacy?
Choose tools that disclose how data is handled. When in doubt, avoid entering sensitive identifiers in consumer apps; prefer your health system’s portals and tools discussed with your clinician.
Join the Conversation
I’d love your take—especially if you’re a clinician. Do you see AI as net-helpful? Where are the sharp edges? What would make it safer and more useful day to day?
If you have any questions, please post them in the comments.
Disclaimer: This essay shares personal opinions and experiences and is not medical advice. For questions about your health, talk with your clinician.
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