Role Doctor

I apologize for being AWOL the last week or so. I was up in Maine doing some school stuff, and I've been pre-occupied with studying for my boards. Not to mention, I have my residency application looming over my head. And it's hard to not feel guilty taking time to write a blog post when there's all these other important things to do that determine the fate of my future as a physician. Still, writing on here is very cathartic for me and I should really do it more.

Anyways... I read an article on CNN.com this morning that begged the question, "Should Doctors Practice What They Preach?" Before even reading it, I thought "Of course! That's a stupid question!" But really, is your doctor a "Role Doctor"? (Yes, I made that up!). The article was actually written by a physician, who went on to describe another doctor he worked under in medical school was quite overweight, chain-smoked, and drank Mountain Dew all day. He talks about one experience where Dr. McUnhealthy was lecturing an obese patient to diet and exercise, and the patient responded with, "When's the last time you skipped a meal?" I couldn't help but laugh out loud. The patient rolled his eyes as he walked out the door.

I was reminded of this one doctor I worked with while on my surgery rotation who went out to his car in between every surgery to smoke. One day he just finished doing a resection of a cancerous lung tumor and STILL left to go suck down some nicotine. You'd think that performing lung biopsies and treating patients with cancer on a regular basis would be a good deterrent from smoking, but I guess not for him. And it's certainly hard for a patient to take a doctor's smoking cessation advice seriously when said doctor wreaks of cigarettes himself.

It seems kind of obvious to me that your patients will take your advice more seriously if you are a good role model. Maybe they will think that if you (the doctor) can live a healthy lifestyle by exercising, eating healthy, and not smoking despite having a very demanding job, then they could too. I mean, would you ever hire a personal trainer who was overweight? Or take financial advice from someone who has money problems of their own?

Thankfully I have a great doctor who I can actually look up to. The last time I saw her, I was telling her how I just ran my first 5k. She was so supportive and happy for me. She then encouraged me to sign up for another one next month that she's actually running in herself. Now there's a good Role Doctor!

I bet you wish your Dr.
looked this this!

Now I'm not saying you have to look like the pseudo-doctors from Grey's Anatomy to be a good physician. It certainly takes a lot more to get your patients to actually follow-through with your advice. For one, you have to be relatable, trusting, honest, empathetic.... just to name a few. But it certainly helps to if you can lead by example, which is what I hope to do as a doctor. Just like I try to do as a mother.