Beth Boynton is a brilliant thinker, improviser and clinician and she brings a wealth of knowledge, training and wisdom to this book. She makes the case for communication and interpersonal skills as essential to successful patient care and to the well-being of medical staff. Because we are all impacted by the world of medicine at some point in our lives, this work matters to all of us. Skills for effective and empathic human interaction - especially under the high-pressure conditions in which medical professionals must operate - are best learned through direct experience, and this book makes a persuasive argument for improvisation as the most powerful and effective method for doing this important work. Beth lays out the challenges that medical professionals face - high stress and high stakes, to name a few - and the possibilities that improvisation presents for meeting them. She describes emotional intelligence in the medical workplace, explains why it matters, and offers specific games and exercises that strengthen the skills associated with it. She also includes links to studies and videos that can be accessed online. This book is a rich combination of intelligence and heart, written in a highly readable and accessible style. If you are interested in understanding why people who discover improvisation are so passionate about it and its many applications to very serious work, this book will answer questions and connect you to more wonderful resources on the topic.