The Perfect Match
On the surface, all doctors might seem to be equal. After all, they have all gone through the rigors of medical school and survived a grueling residency training process. In addition, their competency is ensured by each state's medical board when they receive certification in their specialties. However, doctors are human, and despite the similarities in their medical training, they retain their individuality. Finding the right doctor does not simply mean getting someone who meets the standard qualification of providing health care; rather, it is about finding someone you can relate to and trust.
A Matter of Style
Doctors have their own traits and idiosyncrasies, and they will inevitably bring these individual characteristics into their practices. The way they interact with patients and parents, follow up on their patients' conditions, and prescribe medications are all influenced by their personalities. While doctors do perform within the bounds of what is acceptable in the medical community, there is still a lot of room for personal judgment. This is why medicine is sometimes considered an art as well as a science.
Similarly, parents come in all varieties too. Their personal predilections also influence their child-rearing styles and parenting techniques. Though there is no right or wrong way of doing most things, differences in opinion can cause some interesting debates. Consequently, the task at hand is to find a physician who understands you and to whom you can relate. Personality does go a long way when it comes to picking out the right doctor. Aside from proper training and technical competence, a good personality match is the foundation of a good parent-doctor relationship.
Essential
Finding the right doctor is not too different from finding your soul mate. Sometimes the most important factor is that elusive chemistry between two individuals. You might not feel comfortable with a doctor, even though his credentials are impeccable and he is perfectly charming. If you do not feel that sense of chemistry with your doctor, the parent-doctor relationship can be compromised.
What should you look for in terms of personality? In general, there are two major styles of practice when it comes to medicine. In the past, the relationship between the patients and physicians was mostly paternalistic. In other words, doctors acted in a “father knows best” fashion. In this type of relationship, the doctor dictated what needed to be done, and the patient complied without asking a lot of questions. This style of medicine allowed only for one-way communication. It worked fairly well for patients who had great confidence in their doctor's skills, which tended to ensure that they would comply with recommended treatments.
The other style of medical practice can be described as informative. As the paternalistic style slowly goes out of favor with the general public, the informative style is gradually taking hold as the predominant type of patient-physician relationship. In this type of practice, the physician establishes a partnership with the patient and acts as a trusted source of information. The doctor's task in this case is not to dictate what to do but to educate the patient about various treatment options. Ultimately, the doctor empowers his patients and allows them to reach an informed decision about their own health conditions.
From these descriptions alone, most readers can easily pick out the type of practice that is most comfortable for them. Most people would think that the choice between these opposite styles was a no-brainer. In reality, you would be surprised at the number of people who opt for the other choice. There is nothing wrong with either style. As long as it fits your personality, you will feel right at home with the choice you make.
A Matter of Speaking
The way a doctor speaks could be just as important as her style of practice. Some doctors are soft-spoken and gentle, while others are loquacious and confident. Even if they utter the exact same words, they can leave drastically different impressions.
Many parents are inclined toward doctors who are talkative and friendly. They feel at ease chatting with the doctor about home-improvement projects or last night's football game. A rapport can be quickly established, especially if the doctor has interests and hobbies in common with the parents. This feeling of familiarity and comfort serves as a building block for the trust between doctors and parents when it comes to making important medical decisions.
Other doctors are more reserved and conservative, which some parents prefer because they interpret this as a professional demeanor. If the doctor seems too friendly, the parents' confidence in her professionalism could be shaken. Patients who feel more comfortable with the paternalistic approach may prefer this type of doctor.
Finally, for many patients and parents who speak a language other than English, the paramount criterion is to find a doctor who can speak their native tongue. A language barrier can prevent seamless information exchange. Even with the help of a good translator, a lot of details in the description of the illness and treatment instruction can be lost. In addition, a professionally trained translator is not always readily available. In such scenarios a medical visit is often reduced to the bare essentials. This situation definitely does not allow the doctor to do her best work.
Fact
More and more physicians are learning a second language to better communicate with a greater number of their patients and parents. While medical translators are often readily available, getting an important message across through a third person increases the probability that details will be lost in translation. In addition, it is significantly more difficult to establish rapport via a translator.
Cultural Differences
Sometimes it's not enough for the doctor to just speak a patient's language. It's also necessary to understand the context of the ideas and facts being conveyed. Literal understanding of the words may not convey the real meaning behind the conversation. A doctor who can appreciate the nuances of your culture can be valuable indeed.
Most people are aware of cultural differences when it comes to health and healing. Every culture harbors its unique set of beliefs and practices. Bringing these to a doctor who is foreign to the culture may not only lead to misunderstandings, it can sometimes have unfortunate consequences for the family as well.
Alert!
While most cultural folk remedies are benign, some practices can harm your child. When in doubt, ask your pediatrician before performing any treatments that are not endorsed by Western medical standards.
