Prompt #10: Recognizing Truth- Diajah Williams

All fields of study have their misrepresentations and stereotypes. Exploring what the outside world thinks of our field, that is, the wonderful wold of medicine, allows us to analyze where these misconceptions came from and to properly address them.

Huge targets of the stereotypes in the medical field are the kings and queens that hail over the field, almost in its entirety: the doctors. People seem to specifically attack them and while they are human and do make mistakes (or bad decisions), as a unit, doctors do their civil duty with pride and dignity. 

There are a lot of videos, stories, TV shows and more media outlets that voice their biased opinions on doctors and the medical field. A lighthearted and transparent example of this is the original Fox series, Family Guy. Family Guy blatantly attacks almost all of societys shortcomings and the show doesn't hold back on doctors either.

On the show, the Griffins (the main family) have a family doctor named Doctor Hartman. Below are a couple of clips from the show portraying this doctor in stereotypical means.

CLIP 1:

CLIP 2:

Between the two video clips, there are a few stereotypes/ misconceptions represented that caught my attention. These, along with the example from the videos, are as follows:

What's shown (clip 1):

• Dr. Hartman explaining that he doesn't really know what Viagra is for and blindly prescribed it as an antidepressant to a patient of his.

What's being said (clip 1):

• Doctors do not really know or care about the medicines that they give to their patients. 
• Doctors don't truly care for their patients like they should.

What's shown (clip 2): 

• In the middle of a life- threatening surgery, Dr. Hartman takes a smoke break in the middle of the OR, equipped with a cigarette and loud rock music.

What's being said (clip 2):

• Doctors are hypocrites because he is smoking and even though doctors know better than anyone else the serious hazards of tobacco use. 
• Doctors aren't courteous of their patients.

Why this is wrong:

• Doctors are under the AMA Code of Ethics and therefore cannot perform any unethical task mentioned in the clips without IMMEDIATE termination and several different criminal charges.
• People think they are just "given anything" because in modern medicine, the symptoms are  sometimes the only factor of a patients diagnosis treated, but ONLY when that is the only treatment necessary.
• Most doctors really do care about their patients and the doctor- patient relationship has been improving over the years. Click here for evidence of this claim.
• Labeling a specific group of people, in this case, as hypocrites, is always wrong. Groups are made of collective individuals and those individuals make decisions as an individual.

These, of course, aren't even a third of the stereotypes of doctors, let along the entire medical field. Regardless, it is important to remember one thing, as said by Dean Koontz: "Civilization rests on the fact that most people do the right thing most of the time." In terms of medicine, the medical field rests on the fact that most doctors do the right thing most of the time. So rather than scrutinizing an entire group for the shortcomings of a small number of individuals, appreciate that the vast majority of doctors do what they're supposed to do, and it is all for the health of the us.

American Medical Association. “AMA’s Code of Medical Ethics.” American Medical Association. American Medical Association, 1995-2015. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. <http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/opinion8021.page>.

Maraveyias, Joy. Dr Hartman’s Break. YouTube. Google, 9 Aug. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptGIf64YZOA>.

Prodigy, Martyr. Family Guy - SE12-9 “Peter Problems” (Dr.Hartman Scene). YouTube. Google, 17 Jan. 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoewYZZolpI>.

Tse, Iris. “In Better Health: Doctor- patient relationships I’mproving.” NBCNews.com. NBCNews.com, 27 Feb. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2016. <http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41809130/ns/health-health_care/t/better-health-doctor-patient-relationships-improving/#.VsePSTbLSu5>.