Yep, that’s why the optimal way to cook steak is over wicked high heat - you want to sear the outside, while keeping the inside warm at best. (As in, the three levels of doneness for steak: rare, medium rare, and ruined.)
As for true “tartare” preparations, what you are actually doing is “cooking” the meat with acid instead of heat. Same effect - kill the beasties but not the steak.
This is making me hungry!