Feb 27th

Most people feel that the primary characteristics of a doctor are intelligence and a whole lot of money. Today, I wouldn't doubt that many doctors have these two things, and that money is a prime motivator in pushing them into this particular field of work. Now, I know that it is important for doctors to be intelligent and yes, they make good money. But what really makes a good doctor? In my experience as a patient, good doctors have more important qualities, which makes them the best.
I think the most needed characteristics of a doctor are respect, sensitivity, and compassion. It seems like a far stretch to find a physician with such desired traits these days. Most treat you as a "patient"; you have a problem, and they think of the best and quickest way to fix it. Many people would say, "But isn't that their job?" Of course it is, but it's important to create a connection with the person, even if it's only for a few minutes. A person coming to the hospital is in need of assistant and is already frightened, wondering what's wrong and if the worst has come. How does it make that individual feel when the doctor treats them as a child or, worse, a piece of meat? From what I've heard, it doesn't create peaceful, happy memories. A doctor has to have respect for that person's wishes, thoughts, and feelings. They need to listen to the patient, while still giving their professional diagnosis. In that sense, I think doctors should have sensitivity, to an extent. No one wants or expects a physician to start crying during a surgery. However, a doctor needs to feel sensitivity and, more importantly, compassion for their patients. Surgeries, prescriptions, diagnosises, and testing aren't the only things a doctor should be tending to. People I've talked to, who are considering going into this job, think that because they're the doctor, they don't have to deal with as much bedside care. I feel that anyone who considers this field and has that idea, should seriously think about why they want to be a doctor. Doctors aren't just working with the patients but the relatives and friends of them. They have to have compassion and allow the idea of putting themselves in someone else's shoes. Doctors should recognize and realize that they are dealing with people when they are at the absolute lowest place in their life. It isn't just their job to cure or fix the patient. It's their job to understand, sympathize, listen, and learn. The best doctors aren't the ones who are just intelligent or looking for their own benefits. The greatest ones take their time, make the lives of others better physically and emotionally, and think about the benefits they can give to others and not themselves.