Kipling's "If" is arguably the most popular poem of all time in Britain. Osler is considered the "Father of Modern Medicine" and is unique in history in that he touted the importance of the humanities in the practice of medicine. The virtues in Kipling's "If" are further illustrated by the writings of William Osler and the writers he loved. As the reader will see, these virtues are as relevant today in modern medicine as they were centuries ago.