This article discusses the role of the doctor in relation to the patient. How can the doctor succeed in presenting himself of herself as both professional and personal? It is argued that these two aspects need not be in conflict but may complement each other. The appreciation of this dual dimension of being a doctor is, however, threatened by exaggerated emphasis on the doctor as a particularly successful person. Contemporary medical education does not sufficiently counter the widespread perception of doctors as in some way "above" other people, including their patients. In contrast, the significance of vulnerability, understood as a deep-seated, non-optional feature of being human, is brought to bear on the way the doctor should be perceived--by himself and by society--as no less vulnerable than other people. Correctly understood, the vulnerability that doctors share with patients is a prerequisite for relating to the patient's ills and concerns.