I was reading an article in a newspaper recently and one of the added comments was that doctors only care about golf and money. This is an old stereotype and in fact many doctors do not play golf. There are many of these stereotypes about doctors out there and some of them can harm the doctor patient relationship. Who wants to put their lives in the hands of a greedy, egotistical, golf enthusiast?
What are some doctor stereotypes and what is the truth?
1. Not all doctors play golf. I feel it looks rather boring. Shooting a birdie was not a requirement for obtaining our medical degree and hitting a hole- in- one surely did not earn anyone an A in anatomy. Most doctors these days are pushing close to 80 hours a week or more. We do not have time to play golf, yet alone sleep like normal people. When we have free time, we usually devote it to our families. However, there have been times on Christmas morning that my kids were opening their gifts that I was getting calls from patients that were all answered.
2. Doctors only care about money. I have been on call 24/7 for the past 13 years. I answer countless phone calls after hours. I only get paid when I see the patient in the office and then that does not always happen. I do not get paid 1 cent for after hour calls or for many services I offer patients, such as doing prior authorizations for their medications. This is all done free of charge. Because I need to be there for my patients and provide them the best care. Also, keep in mind that doctors for the most part do not determine our own fees. We are obligated to accept the fees set by insurance companies that they deem reasonable and appropriate. Often, they miss the mark. Most doctors truly have their patient’s best interest at heart. Still doesn’t mean we want to work for free either.
3. Doctors don’t listen. I would say that this is true for some. But, many doctors do. I would have to say there are many patients that don’t listen either. Definitely, communication needs to be improved on both sides.
4. Doctors like making patients wait. No we don’t. We hate this more than anyone else. The longer you wait, the later we go home. But, when a patient expresses a previously unmentioned complaint, we have to take care of it. If a patient by the way mentions chest pain, we have to evaluate it. We cannot just ignore it to stay on schedule because the patient wasn’t scheduled for that. If you were the one with chest pain, you would want that too. Unfortunately, when these things arise, it can lead to a serious back log in the schedule.
5. Then there is the Marcus Welby stereotype. Everyone wants a Marcus Welby type doctor. He was a tv doctor! Real life is much more complex. Not all doctors and patients are a good match. It is OK, we are all human. You may not like the way I talk. By all means, find a doctor who you are comfortable with. Don’t feel you are stuck to a certain doctor because of geographic or demographic reasons. Explore and find the best match for you. (I’m more of a Doogie Howser).
These are some doctor stereotypes. Like in the rest of life, generalizations like these serve no one. And like with everything else, we should stare down these preconceived stereotypes and use our own judgements to help find the best fit for our medical needs.
These may just be stereotypes, but my late dad, a dentist, did often play golf at the country club.
Thanks for the wonderful post, Dr. Linda. I never learned to play golf, either. In fact, I never had time. My sister the teacher and her husband the accountant like to play. They have the time and the money. It must be nice!