My only understanding of surgeons is via tv so with a grain of salt, I might differ slightly. A surgeon should not be doing empathy with a scalpel in hand, but why not during consultation or follow up, or maybe privately in reflection? To deny them all options of empathy seems oppressive!

And as far as you way of empathasizing with someone who has wronged you, is that necessarily empathy or is it compassion, a way to react to a situation by seeking to understand their motives rather than rise up in defense.

That might just be word games