The curious physician: exploring the role of curiosity in professionalism, patient care, and well-being

Introduction: Curiosity is a fundamental human trait that drives learning and exploration, yet has received little attention in the medical field despite potential benefits for knowledge acquisition, work performance, and psychosocial well-being. This study investigated physicians' perspectives on personal experiences with curiosity and its role in professional practice and medical training. Materials and Methods: A qualitative study with 12 physicians at the University of Heidelberg Medical Hospital used semi-structured interviews (September 2019–February 2020) and Mayring's qualitative content analysis to identify themes and link them to overall categories. Results: Physicians emphasized curiosity as a driving force for lifelong education, a facilitator of empathetic physician-patient relationships, and a core quality of good researchers. Curiosity was associated with positive emotions, while its suppression related to dissatisfaction, boredom, and exhaustion. Inhibitors included heavy workloads, time constraints, stress, and lack of autonomy; promoters included varied activities, collegial exchange, and new challenges. Views on the link between burnout and curiosity were mixed: some saw curiosity as protective, others as potentially contributing to frustration and burnout when excessive or unmet. Conclusion: This first exploration of physicians' perspectives highlights curiosity's importance in medical professionalism and patient care but notes that challenging working conditions hamper its pursuit, underscoring a need for better support and cultivation.