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When Doctors Become Patients
For many doctors, their role as powerful healer precludes thoughts of ever getting sick themselves. When they do, it initiates a profound shift of awareness-- not only in their sense of their selves, which is invariably bound up with the "invincible doctor" role, but in the way that they view their patients and the doctor-patient relationship. While some books have been written from first-person perspectives on doctors who get sick-- by Oliver Sacks among them-- and TV shows like "House" touch on the topic, never has there been a "systematic, integrated look" at what the experience is like for doctors who get sick, and what it can teach us about our current health care system and more broadly, the experience of becoming ill.
The psychiatrist Robert Klitzman here weaves together gripping first-person accounts of the experience of doctors who fall ill and see the other side of the coin, as a patient. The accounts reveal how dramatic this transformation can be-- a spiritual journey for some, a radical change of identity for others, and for some a new way of looking at the risks and benefits of treatment options. For most however it forever changes the way they treat their own patients. These questions are important not just on a human interest level, but for what they teach us about medicine in America today. While medical technology advances, the health care system itself has become more complex and frustrating, and physician-patient trust is at an all-time low. The experiences offered here are unique resource that point the way to a more humane future.
The psychiatrist Robert Klitzman here weaves together gripping first-person accounts of the experience of doctors who fall ill and see the other side of the coin, as a patient. The accounts reveal how dramatic this transformation can be-- a spiritual journey for some, a radical change of identity for others, and for some a new way of looking at the risks and benefits of treatment options. For most however it forever changes the way they treat their own patients. These questions are important not just on a human interest level, but for what they teach us about medicine in America today. While medical technology advances, the health care system itself has become more complex and frustrating, and physician-patient trust is at an all-time low. The experiences offered here are unique resource that point the way to a more humane future.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 18, 2021
Interesting, revealing and well recounted series of interviews with doctors who were experiencing serious illness. The aim was to explore the meaning of this experience, beginning from the position that many aspects of this experience would be different for these people than for patients who were not doctors. Having some experience as a seriously ill doctor, I was interested to find out whether my reflections would match those in the book. Many did, as predicted, with some surprising new revelations about myself. Other experiences and attitudes were very different.
Set in the US, many of the comments reflected the healthcare system and society there, and did not transfer elsewhere. There was an over-emphasis on HIV, many aspects of which are specific to the aetiology, ethics and prejudices associated with that infection - again, these did not transfer to other illnesses, and might have been better handled in a separate chapter, or book. Finally, some of the themes and conclusions related to the practice and teaching of medicine generally, and did not need a study of sick doctors to reach them.
On the whole, though, this was a very good book, and my life is richer for having read it.
Set in the US, many of the comments reflected the healthcare system and society there, and did not transfer elsewhere. There was an over-emphasis on HIV, many aspects of which are specific to the aetiology, ethics and prejudices associated with that infection - again, these did not transfer to other illnesses, and might have been better handled in a separate chapter, or book. Finally, some of the themes and conclusions related to the practice and teaching of medicine generally, and did not need a study of sick doctors to reach them.
On the whole, though, this was a very good book, and my life is richer for having read it.
April 25, 2022
Would recommend to all doctors who would like to learn from the experiences of physician-patients. Very well laid out by the author and great lessons to be taken on board
January 8, 2015
Interesting look at docpsych, as well as a lot of stuff about the consequences and impact of being sick: "doctors" in this instance are easily translatable into "smart independent people who know what they are doing", and many of the problems that these type of people face when suddenly thier identity is "patient" are...how shall I say...familiar.
Solutions offered? No magic answers, but there's advice and validation.
Solutions offered? No magic answers, but there's advice and validation.
July 31, 2008
the interviews were interesting (though I am not sure they would be interesting to anyone who wasn't a doctor), but his comments added little, and often reminded me of standard trainee writings ("this area is in need of further study...")
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews