Feel

On a recent occasion, TM – a trainee of my team – fell sick. Although he did suffer a lot during those few days, the experience is not entirely a bitter one. After he recovered, he found himself beginning to understand his patients' feeling and treat them in slightly different ways. In this regard, my friend KM went on and described his opinion about this little comedy. (See http://drkmchow.blogspot.hk/2013/02/sick.html)

But, I must say I cannot support the idea wholeheartedly.

Oh, don't say I am too mean and ungiving. (I am.) 

First, to begin with, let's try and distinguish the difference between empathy and sympathy. In short, empathy is the capacity of understanding and sharing of a specific emotional state experienced by another person. On the other hand, sympathy does not require the sharing of the same emotional state; it is the concern for the well-being of another. Although sympathy may begin with empathizing with the same emotion another person is feeling, it is not always the case - and it is not necessary to be the case.

Or, in the language of logic, empathy is neither a necessary condition nor a sufficient one for sympathy.