Miriam Vail’s Reviews > The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures > Status Update

Dr.Fife gets it. Patient autonomy matters. Period. He’s also providing better care as it happens and avoiding procedures with dangerous complications. Give the women their placentas!

Oh, not loving this blatant racist behavior from an obstetrician in the 80s, but also I’m not surprised

Even with all those barriers, the Hmong could see doctors at odds with the system

This is a really hard case, but I still feel that this was the wrong move

None of us are above social rules

We don’t have a great way to help with illiteracy when thinking about medicine

I’ve gotta be more like Neil

Conquergood was a smart guy. Without either side dominating or winning out for a mutually invigorating dialogue is goated

Okay now doctors look real bad. Also ouch
“When doctors failed to heal, it was their own fault”

Another reminder that people and cultures have a lot of experience and are often a few steps ahead before encountering the medical system