GETTING INSIDE YOUR DOCTORS’ HEAD

January 27, 2016

Being a doctor places clinicians in a position where we see people in their most vulnerable and difficult moments. One thing that comes out of this for all doctors is perspective.

When one person is worrying about getting a promotion, a doctor knows that their patient has just been diagnosed with cancer. When someone else is fretting about a workplace argument, a doctor knows of a family in which there has been a suicide. And when another person is complaining about their partner who doesn’t show enough emotion, the doctor knows of a couple who that have been separated far too early from a motorcar accident. Being a doctor gives a completely different perspective on life on a daily basisĀ because we see the suffering that people experience every single day.

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Due to this very “skewed” perspective that we experience, we may look at life in a different way. Doctors may come to the conclusion that life is suffering and get down and despondent. They may see this life as fragile and take life as a precious gift. They may see persistent hardship and develop a thick insensitive skin in order to cope. It’s when doctors see their role as a privilege and as an opportunity to serve that their vocation truly comes to life.

Every person experiences sickness differently and similarly every doctor processes the suffering of others differently.

It’s a wonderful and fascinating journey as a doctor and the learning process never ends.

Be Well

In Health and Wellness