July 1 is commemorated in India as 'Doctor's day' celebrating Dr BC Roy, a physician politician who was the second CM of West Bengal.
July 1 is both his birth (1882) and death (1962) anniversary.
An award named after him is a much coveted award among doctors in India.
Like many of my professional colleagues, my mailbox and social media is peppered with messages wishing me a 'Happy Doctor's day'. Most of these messages are from patients or their relatives and some from my staff and representatives of pharmaceutical companies.
I sincerely thank them all.
They say feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift but not delivering it.
However in the light of the current situation of doctor-patient relationship in India, one cannot but feel cynical and reflect.
Are doctors owed any gratitude for doing their professional duty particularly when they charge a fee for their services?
I feel nobody is entitled to gratitude or praise for doing their professional duty whether they do it for a fee or pro bono. Doctors are human beings and trained professionals and therefore susceptible to the frailties and fallibility of both. Medical science like most sciences is evolving and not perfect and ascribing nobility or demigod status to a professional is inappropriate.
Every dog has his day
This is a pretty well known proverb. So having a Doctor's day without having a healthy relationship with the profession is only a meaningless candyfloss Hallmark moment.
Both the medical profession and society need each other and must find ways to reduce the trust deficit that has got created, mainly in my opinion due to exaggerated reports of medical apathy or lack of sensitivity in irresponsible media. Such negative campaigns have created a confirmation bias that leads people to suspect the intentions of their doctor at every step. If you cannot trust your doctor to act in your best interest, continuing to be his patient is a meaningless exercise.
So a real doctor's day wish to your doctor would be to treat your doctor as a human being who is a trained professional, nothing more and nothing less. He needs your trust not your gratitude and praise for doing his duty. And for some reason if you don't trust him, please move on to some other you trust rather than continue the relationship is an atmosphere of cynicism and mistrust that helps nobody.
Your actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear your words
July 1 is both his birth (1882) and death (1962) anniversary.
An award named after him is a much coveted award among doctors in India.
Like many of my professional colleagues, my mailbox and social media is peppered with messages wishing me a 'Happy Doctor's day'. Most of these messages are from patients or their relatives and some from my staff and representatives of pharmaceutical companies.
I sincerely thank them all.
They say feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift but not delivering it.
However in the light of the current situation of doctor-patient relationship in India, one cannot but feel cynical and reflect.
Are doctors owed any gratitude for doing their professional duty particularly when they charge a fee for their services?
I feel nobody is entitled to gratitude or praise for doing their professional duty whether they do it for a fee or pro bono. Doctors are human beings and trained professionals and therefore susceptible to the frailties and fallibility of both. Medical science like most sciences is evolving and not perfect and ascribing nobility or demigod status to a professional is inappropriate.
Every dog has his day
This is a pretty well known proverb. So having a Doctor's day without having a healthy relationship with the profession is only a meaningless candyfloss Hallmark moment.
Both the medical profession and society need each other and must find ways to reduce the trust deficit that has got created, mainly in my opinion due to exaggerated reports of medical apathy or lack of sensitivity in irresponsible media. Such negative campaigns have created a confirmation bias that leads people to suspect the intentions of their doctor at every step. If you cannot trust your doctor to act in your best interest, continuing to be his patient is a meaningless exercise.
So a real doctor's day wish to your doctor would be to treat your doctor as a human being who is a trained professional, nothing more and nothing less. He needs your trust not your gratitude and praise for doing his duty. And for some reason if you don't trust him, please move on to some other you trust rather than continue the relationship is an atmosphere of cynicism and mistrust that helps nobody.
Your actions speak so loudly that I cannot hear your words
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