Prejudices

[sykosomatik]

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Do you think most doctors set aside their prejudices when dealing with patients?

Do you think its ok for doctors to crack a joke at their patients expense...like I can't believe that patient's so such and such?

I know some colleagues who hardly at all interact with people of certain backgrounds, and yet I wonder how they'll deal with these type of people when they run across them in the hospital.

Doctors are people afterall, not saints.

 

[loveumms]

I think for the most part many of us are able to set aside any prejudices and treat all patients equal. That being said, there are times when I really don't want to treat certain patient populations. I think it's very easy to become jaded and generalize but, you just have to remind yourself that in the end you went into medicine to help people and to make the world a better place, one patient at a time.

 

[enviromed21]

I would like to think that doctors set aside their prejudices when dealing with patients but my personal experiences, as well as the experiences of others I know tell me otherwise. 😡

I had an MD(who does interviews for a top medical school) teaching a course I was taking a couple months ago and on the first day you could hear him making ethnically insensitive remarks(which he found amusing-exhibited by his subsequent laughter) as he went over the class roster. Seeing something like that worried me greatly.🙁

 

[78222]

I think most doctors are able to set aside their prejudices and treat patients fair and equally. That said, you don't have to like your patients in order to be a good doctor, so it would be possible for a doctor with bigoted beliefs to still be a good doctor.

 

[sykosomatik]

I had an MD(who does interviews for a top medical school) teaching a course I was taking a couple months ago and on the first day you could hear him making ethnically insensitive remarks...(

Yeah, I hear ya. In some ways, I guess you kind of have to expect it.

The thing that annoys me is not the prejudice nessarily (because like I said, people are people). It's the hypocrisy surrounding this issue that bothers me. The idiots on the admissions committee give you their whole speel about how they want kind, compassionate doctors....and the next thing you know your surrounded by people who have never interacted with some of these minorities or really care to interact with them...not only that, they make actually look down on these people as well.

At my school, the main hospital serves poor people. I've noticed that some of my classmates really hate working in that hospital and are so glad when they can leave. Some of these priviledged kids can't stand working with the homeless people. One happens to be very religious too! WWJD!!! hahaha

You just never realize how much hypocrisy there is until you're involved with it....atleast it gives you an endless source of amusement.

Be prejudiced if that's what youre like, but just don't be a snake about it.

 

[78222]

Yeah, I hear ya. In some ways, I guess you kind of have to expect it.

The thing that annoys me is not the prejudice nessarily (because like I said, people are people). It's the hypocrisy surrounding this issue that bothers me. The idiots on the admissions committee give you their whole speel about how they want kind, compassionate doctors....and the next thing you know your surrounded by people who have never interacted with some of these minorities or really care to interact with them...not only that, they make actually look down on these people as well.

At my school, the main hospital serves poor people. I've noticed that some of my classmates really hate working in that hospital and are so glad when they can leave. Some of these priviledged kids can't stand working with the homeless people. One happens to be very religious too! WWJD!!! hahaha

You just never realize how much hypocrisy there is until you're involved with it....atleast it gives you an endless source of amusement.

Be prejudiced if that's what youre like, but just don't be a snake about it.

You are being judgemental yourself. So what if someone doesn't like working with homeless people? In fact, why would you like working with them? They smell bad, they are usually on drugs, they are non compliant, and they have some of the nastiest feet you will ever see. A lot of people don't like working at county hospitals because you get a lot of patients who are noncompliant or just downright rude. Personally, I like trauma, so I enjoy this kind of environment but I sure as **** wouldn't begrudge someone for wanting to practice in a different setting.

 

[TheMightyAngus]

Yeah, I hear ya. In some ways, I guess you kind of have to expect it.

The thing that annoys me is not the prejudice nessarily (because like I said, people are people). It's the hypocrisy surrounding this issue that bothers me. The idiots on the admissions committee give you their whole speel about how they want kind, compassionate doctors....and the next thing you know your surrounded by people who have never interacted with some of these minorities or really care to interact with them...not only that, they make actually look down on these people as well.

At my school, the main hospital serves poor people. I've noticed that some of my classmates really hate working in that hospital and are so glad when they can leave. Some of these priviledged kids can't stand working with the homeless people. One happens to be very religious too! WWJD!!! hahaha

You just never realize how much hypocrisy there is until you're involved with it....atleast it gives you an endless source of amusement.

Be prejudiced if that's what youre like, but just don't be a snake about it.

What exactly is the hypocrisy that you are complaining about? The fact that some doctors and med students don't like dealing with homeless people. What's wrong with that? Most docs hate dealing with drug seeking (not necessarily homeless) patients and malingerers. Does that make them less compassionate? What about abusive patients? Do you have to like treating each and every patient you see to be compassionate?

 

[McDoctor]

Do you think most doctors set aside their prejudices when dealing with patients?

Do you think its ok for doctors to crack a joke at their patients expense...like I can't believe that patient's so such and such?

I know some colleagues who hardly at all interact with people of certain backgrounds, and yet I wonder how they'll deal with these type of people when they run across them in the hospital.

Doctors are people afterall, not saints.

I think most people aren't aware of their own biases and prejudice tendencies, so I'm not sure they can just be "set aside" when they put on their doctor hats. People are who they are, flaws and all. Your first question makes the supposition that people who come off as racist or prejudice are purposefully acting a certain way, making a conscious decision to be prejudiced, and thus can just turn it off and on as the situation dictates. I don't think people are wired this way. We all have some biases and prejudices, some are more obvious than others, but rarely are they the result of conscious choice or decision to "be prejudiced".

As for the second question, I'd say it depends on the medical condition. Doing something like Rush Limbaugh making fun of Michael J. Fox on Parkison's medication is clearly over the line. But I've made light of active heroin addicts who ask me for nicotine patches so they can quit smoking. The latter type of patient has played more of an active role in creating his condition for himself. People with Parkinson's Disease are victims of a tragic disease. There's a difference.

 

[soeagerun2or]

I think most doctors are able to set aside their prejudices and treat patients fair and equally. That said, you don't have to like your patients in order to be a good doctor, so it would be possible for a doctor with bigoted beliefs to still be a good doctor.

I half agree with this. A doctor can provide adequate medical service despite his bigotry however if the patient feels slighted because of the doctor's attitude in lieu of the bigotry then only half the criteria of being a good doctor has been satisfied.

 

[78222]

I half agree with this. A doctor can provide adequate medical service despite his bigotry however if the patient feels slighted because of the doctor's attitude in lieu of the bigotry then only half the criteria of being a good doctor has been satisfied.

It probably depends on what kind of physician you are. I've spent most of my time around surgeons, who relentlessly make crude comments about their patients. That doesn't mean they aren't giving it 110% in the OR for that patient (Who they very well may think is a complete dirtball). Personally, I think it is important that as physicians we realize that our job remains the same whether we are treating a crackhead child abuser or mother Theresa. It isn't our job to make moral judgements regarding our patients that will effect the QoC. I think most physicians would agree here and incorporate it into their practice (unless they are that jackass who wouldn't treat a child because his mother had a tatoo).