Is a Doctor's Culture, Gender, Sexuality, or Religion Important?
While getting my hair cut today, my hairdresser Tom and I got into a conversation on how people choose their doctors. Tom, who is gay (and who gave me permission to tell you about this conversation) shared his experience with one of his doctors.
At an appointment for a checkup, the doctor asked Tom, "These records say that in 1987, you claimed to be homosexual. Is that still true?"
Tom was floored by the question. But he realized that the doctor, who was catholic, could not get beyond his religion to understand Tom's sexuality.
Tom changed doctors and now sees an internist who is also gay. Tom says he is much more comfortable and trusting of this doctor.
However, it raises the question about any of the issues that might make a doctor different from us, and whether those differences should influence our choice of doctors. Society tells us we should either be blind to, or accepting of, the differences among our fellow (wo)man -- but I'm not so sure that's true when it comes to choosing the right doctor.
For example, if you are a woman who prefers a female OB-GYN, I think that's very understandable, just like a man would likely be more comfortable with a male urologist. Doctors of many religious beliefs might not present the same options to a woman with an unwanted pregnancy. A doctor coming from a different cultural background might not see the world the same way you do, and if that doctor came here from another country, you might have trouble understanding the doctor's accent. Further, different cultures have different customs regarding respect. In some customs, a respectful doctor would never look a patient in the eye (especially a male doctor looking at a female patient). In other cultures, it is highly disrespectful, even dismissive, for the doctor to avoid eye contact.
The truth is -- all else being equal -- a doctor's ability to be a good doctor is unrelated to culture, color, gender, sexuality or religion. There are good doctors -- and bad ones -- of every hue. So a patient's number one goal should be to make sure she chooses the best doctor to help her when she needs medical care, without regard to any of these human or societal differences.
But clear understanding and solid communication, whether it is understanding language, or understanding our humanity, may be just as important as a doctor's ability to diagnose and treat us. Without clear understanding, we diminish our ability to get diagnosed or treated correctly, or to comply with instructions. If we do not trust, or respect, or are afraid, or feel embarrassed by a doctor who is different, we won't be able to collaborate most effectively with that doctor.
A wise patient knows how to sort out the best doctors, then either find commonalities, or respect the differences.
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Comments
Given the point of your commentary, I am wondering why you felt it necessary to indicate that Tom’s physician was Catholic.
I seriously doubt Catholics have any monopoly on prejudice toward homosexuality. In fact they are probably no more likely to be prejudiced than, say, Southern Baptists or Lutherans or fundamentalist evangelicals.
If your point is that we shouldn’t judge each other on the basis of religion or anything else, I agree. But I think you’re making a big assumption that the physician feels the way he does because of his faith persuasion… and in so doing, you have reinforced a stereotype that Catholicism = intolerance.
Do you not practice what you preach? This all *boils down to individuals.* Period.
Perrin,
Thanks for posting. You make a good point about many religions that might be intolerant. I agree with you. The notation about Tom’s doctor being catholic was Tom’s commentary, not mine. I wasn’t there when the comment was made. I wouldn’t know. Sorry that wasn’t clearer.
Actually the point to the blog post wasn’t about intolerance. The point was that as individuals we need to recognize that a doctor’s abilities have nothing to do with religion or gender or any of those types of attributes. But if a patient communicates better with someone more similar to him or her, then it’s OK to choose a doctor based on those similarities.
Trisha
I was raised Catholic . I was taught the same homophobic attitude that doctor clings to. Homosexuality is not illness or as simple as choosing which color shirt to wear today! Catholics don’t have the monopoly on Homophobia, but have you listened to the Pope speak on the subject ? HELLO !