Paging Dr. Brando.

Perhaps physicians could learn a thing or two from the late screen legend.

When doctors don't feel their patient's pain — as in, have trouble empathizing — they should at least act like they do, according to local researchers. And one way, they propose, is through "deep acting" — the kind of psychological acting method made famous by Marlon Brando and James Dean.

It may be too late for an Oscar, but the thespian technique may help doctors deliver better medicine.

"I wouldn't want people to think all of medicine is a stage, but part of being a doctor is working on your emotions and how to display them," says Dr. Eric Larson, director of Group Health's Center for Health Studies and co-author of a commentary in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Larson and Xin Yao, a doctoral student and organizational behavior researcher at the University of Washington Business School, propose applying acting techniques and the notion of "emotional labor" to clinical medicine.

Sociologists and management types have long recognized the idea of emotional labor — the work of inducing or suppressing feelings as part of a job. For instance, a flight attendant is expected to be cheerful even while secretly wanting to throttle an obnoxious passenger. The physician, on the other hand, is charged with showing empathy to all patients.

Studies find patients have better outcomes and visits go more swimmingly when doctors deliver empathy along with their best medical advice.

But empathy doesn't always come naturally, Larson says. Sometimes, patients are frustrating, doctors are harried or there's just no connection. So, the authors advise, when a physician just can't muster up the appropriate dose of empathy, think Brando.

Deep acting — also known as method acting — involves summoning memories and using imagination to generate and display emotions. Quick, nurse, what's my motivation?

The goal is for patients to receive the empathy they need and for doctors to learn empathy skills the same way they learn diagnostics — by practicing.

"The unfortunate implication of the term 'acting' is the idea you're faking it," says Larry Mauksch, a psychotherapist who teaches communication skills to medical students and doctors at the UW. "When over time, if you act empathic, you'll become more empathic."

But what if a doctor is simply a bad actor — more "Island of Dr. Moreau" and less "Godfather"?

"It might be helpful for them to take a workshop in the drama department," Xin offers.

Julia Sommerfeld: 206-464-2708 or jsommerfeld@seattletimes.com