NationStates Jolt Archive

I've been wondering, why do people put so much trust in doctors and other such medical 'professionals'? If you go to the doctors with a problem you'll tend to agree with what ever they happen to say or suggest. If, during the course of an examination a doctor says, 'hop up on the bed and undo your trousers', or 'lift up your top please'. You tend to do so without question, and not look upon it as being wrong. Yet if you were in a room with someone (whom you also weren't related to), and they said that you would refuse, if not hit them and the leave. What is it that makes a doctor so different? And what allows them to poke, prod and view whatever they want to?

I've been wondering, why do people put so much trust in doctors and other such medical 'professionals'? If you go to the doctors with a problem you'll tend to agree with what ever they happen to say or suggest. If, during the course of an examination a doctor says, 'hop up on the bed and undo your trousers', or 'lift up your top please'. You tend to do so without question, and not look upon it as being wrong. Yet if you were in a room with someone (whom you also weren't related to), and they said that you would refuse, if not hit them and the leave. What is it that makes a doctor so different? And what allows them to poke, prod and view whatever they want to?
Well doctors are supposed to explain to patients what they're doing and why. If the patient consents they go ahead. If the patient doesn't consent and the doctor goes ahead, the patient is free to hit the doctor and leave.
Also there's a deal there I suppose. Patients allow doctors access to personal information and space in the understanding that a) it's confidential and b) it will be used to benefit the patient. Also that the doctor will be respectful and make every attempt at doing no harm.

How about a medical degree and the Hyprocratic oath? And I don't know about you, but it seems reasonable for the guy I'm consulting about my body to actually want to examine it. If he was my accountant, then I might think it wierd.

I've been wondering, why do people put so much trust in doctors and other such medical 'professionals'? If you go to the doctors with a problem you'll tend to agree with what ever they happen to say or suggest. If, during the course of an examination a doctor says, 'hop up on the bed and undo your trousers', or 'lift up your top please'. You tend to do so without question, and not look upon it as being wrong. Yet if you were in a room with someone (whom you also weren't related to), and they said that you would refuse, if not hit them and the leave. What is it that makes a doctor so different? And what allows them to poke, prod and view whatever they want to?
um, this seems like a real "duh" question; doctors are experts on the human body and how to fix it. if you are in a doctor's office then it's because you went there to have them check you out, and is very different than if some random person told you to strip. if you didn't want your body to be examined then you shouldn't have gone to the doctor.

this is like comparing going to the mechanic with some random person telling you to open the hood of your car so they could take a look.

How about all those years of med school, internship and residency? Their oath to do no harm, maybe? The desire to care for people and make them well?

If you don't trust doctors not to harm you, then don't go see them. You'll find, over the years, that you need them more than they need you.