Many doctors face racism and sexism from patients. A recent article by Dr Seema Yasmin, "When Patients Discriminate Against Doctors: A Muslim Physician Weighs In," highlighted this problem and prompted a spate of observations and recollections from a variety of medical professionals.
Quite a few doctors reported personal experience with prejudice from patients.
Many advocated forbearance. A plastic surgeon wrote:
It is an everyday situation for me as a Muslim Arab doctor working in the emergency department . . . I do my job with a smile, trying to ignore the offensive language and swearing. The only relief is that you're a better person: a doctor with a big heart.
A primary care physician added, "You learn to deal with it . . . just move on to the next patient who might be so pleasant that the sun shines again."
Some sought to understand these ugly attitudes. One healthcare professional wrote:
Many times the unreasonable demands of patients (and colleagues) can result from fear and anxiety . . . Firmness, respect and a sense of humor can overcome those fears and patients' apparent sexism and racism.
A family therapist also tried to put the bigotry of patients in context, saying, "Try to understand that when people come to seek medical help from you, they bring their prejudices with them, but they also bring fear."
