“Are you a real doctor?”
“Can I get someone...older?”
“Have you done this procedure before?”
As a young dentist, I’m no stranger to these questions. In fact my healthcare colleagues, be it medical doctors/ pharmacists/ nurses, often face patients who refused to talk to them or getting treated by them simply because of how they look. 👩⚕️
Is it fair?
No, it isn’t.
Having our competency judged based on our looks is never fair.
But is it the patient’s fault?🤔
No, it isn’t.
Having treated so many patients in our daily life, we as healthcare workers tend to get desensitised over time.
We often forget that this might be the first time the patient is seeking treatment from us.
It might even be their first time stepping into a clinic, which can be a lot of people’s worst nightmare.
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Most of our patients are unfamiliar about the healthcare system. They might be defensive simply because they are scared. And they might request for someone they are more comfortable with.
Yes, it can be disappointing.
Yes, it is not easy to answer these often rude questions with a smile in order to uphold our professional standards.
But it is our core value to sympathise and communicate.
We are trained to put ourselves in patient’s perspective and understand their problems.💪🏻
You can’t change one’s view overnight. But you can slowly prove your value. Speak with your actions, observe the transformation.✨
On the bright side, it really does make you feel grateful towards the patients who put their faith in you ain’t it?😊
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