DH and I were having a conversation a while back, and I happened to mention that I had an appointmnet with my OB, whose patients refer to as Dr. first-letter-of-last-name. Dh asked what his name was and I told him, and he asked where he was from. I told him that he was from Colombia and went on with my day. Later on, as I was talking about an appointment with my neurologist, I again referred to her by name, and also her DH, who is my cardiologist (and was one of the best preceptors I had). He asked where they were from, which is Lebanon. My GI guy is from India.
DH, who only sees a doc if dying or dragged in, commented, "Why can't you go to an AMERICAN doctor?"
Well, both my PCP and my dentist are American. My NEW OB is American (switched d/t the other guy not delivering at our hospital).
I work for a cardiology group. One doc is American, the other from Peru. Both are excellent docs and great people to boot. This came up in consult last week.
I went to see a patient and told her which doc would be seeing her along with me. We refer to the doc from Peru by the first letter of his last name as well, as his name is quite long, and can be mangled in some very interesting ways by patients. She replied, "I don't want a doctor whose name I can't pronounce!"
This fries me. Does anyone else deal with this? I just think it is so short-sighted. My docs that I work for are great, I'd let them work on ME, and that is the highest compliment I can give anyone.
I thought that by 2010, we would have come far enough that we could realize that other countries have talent, not just America. Some, if not most of our hospitalists here are from Africa, and they are as good as you would hope to find anywhere. But you have patients who come in and don't want them because they are Black. I tell you, if you're taking care of me, I don't care if you're green with purple stripes.
Sorry for the rant. It just got to me today. I'm in the Deep South, so maybe feelings run hotter here about this, but do y'all have issues with this anywhere else? How is it managed? How do they respond? Just curious. Thanks.
I grew up in a very racially biased family. I am quite the anomaly, as I am not prejudiced. Several family members continue to use slurs, and I continue to call them out over it.
oh goodness, me too. i am so far removed from my family in this regard. it's like we're from different planets. their collective prejudice was difficult to grow up with. it deeply embarrasses and saddens me when they say something insulting about someone from another heritage (or religion or sexual preference, etc.). i know it's somewhat of a generational thing with my parents; however, my 2 older sisters were born in the 60's.
last year, my sister was cathed by a doc i work with who is from the middle east. he is an awesome doc. my sister made some inappropriate remark about his ethnicity and i said (probably through clenched teeth) something like, "that physician just had a catheter in your heart. you should show him some respect." uurrrg, it still burns me up now. :angryfire i'd like to think it was because she was about 3 hours post-cath & still loopy, but i know that's not the reason.
freefalr
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