The experiences of clinicians who care for the sick and dying after withdrawal of treatment are rarely documented. This may be because these narratives, which offer insight into the intentionality and character of the clinician, do not lend themselves to clinical reports. The experience of palliative care touches clinicians in different ways and often confronts them with complex ethical dilemmas about care and treatment. This article explores the character of the clinician in relation to the telos of medicine and the (...) experience of accompanying the dying after withdrawal of treatment. (shrink)