Do Physicians judge patients based on what they wear? Designer Bags? Casual Clothing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you receive different medical care based on what you are wearing?

Do you always dress a certain way for medical appointments?

I heard it's better to wear white skin.

Even to black physicians? How exactly do you fix potential racism among medical workers?

Yes. It’s like how do you prevent black cops from being more harsh to black people. It’s engrained in society.

How do you know black cops (or black physicians) are more harsh to black people? You sound bigoted.

You sound ignorant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely. I always dress professionally or wear casual clothes like Patagonia or my college sweatshirt like a PP mentioned. I don’t go overboard as that can also backfire.

Doctors are just people, and people are judgmental. I don’t take chances. Unrelated, but Being Mortal is a book everyone should read. Talks a lot about how doctors are uncomfortable with death and conversations around that, just like us. Same goes for superficial assumptions and judgments.

Had to go to a PCP who was just rude and standoffish to me the first time I saw her - dressed in jeans/t shirt, not feeling great so just not looking great. But was new to town, it was so hard to get in with a PCP so I had no choice at the time. She medically treated me just fine, just wasn't nice or even polite. Went back for a follow up and made the appointment during the work day, showed up in a suit, and 100% different behavior - like she was speaking to a respected professional. Fortunately I was done with her after one appt and one follow up, but definitely proved to me that yes doctors judge just like anyone else. But I do think like the PP says, the female drs can be more judgmental about clothes, shoes, hair - not all female drs but the ones that themselves give off the popular girl/mean girl vibe. Some come across just like scientists and like people say they wouldn't recognize a designer bag if they tripped over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t you usually wearing a gown when you see the actual doctor?

I don't undress for my retina specialist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate to say it as a woman but it depends on male vs. female drs. Male drs and nerdy female drs - I think they don't judge based on designer bags. As PPs have said, some of the men don't necessarily recognize designer purses or clothes at first sight. Nerdy female drs. may recognize them but just aren't impressed.

For those groups I feel like the judgment/quality of the interaction is much more based on what you do for a living. I feel like they treat white collar professionals and high earning professionals as smart. And while I guess they shouldn't know what you do for a living or where you went to college - I've had drs ask and then they spoke to me more like an equal once they realized I was a lawyer, went to an ivy etc. Some of this may be judgment, some of this may just be - I can go through this in detail with this person who will understand and/or know to ask questions if they don't understand.

Female drs who are fashionable/who consider themselves fashionable - yeah I feel they def judge on everything including clothes, shoes etc. GW had one of these in primary care and she was a nightmare and the reviews were so split. Half the reviews were OMG she's sooooo great, she explains everything, I totally trust her. Half were - she basically didn't speak to me, was condescending/rude. It was clear she was treating humans very differently based on her judgment. She has since moved onto another practice in the area.

This is interesting. I may change my profession title just a tad to see if the reaction is different. I do find I am asked my profession a lot more in recent years.

At one practice, the admissions forms asked what college I attended. I studied overseas at a place most Americans wouldn't know. I asked the doctor why they asked this and if ivy league grads got better treatment. My husband has a PhD (non medical) and I've seen some referral letters from one specialist to another calling him Dr Larlo. I wonder if this is code is "intelligent patient - treat him better".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a female doctor, I don't pay much attention to the designer status of clothing worn or bag toted. I would note if they were neatly dressed and groomed or disheveled.

One of my core physicians, my Internist actually complimented me on a brand name handbag once and it did take me by surprise. The bag was across the room and not anywhere near the examining table. Since then, I wonder if they judge based upon what patients wore when they were seen.

I've had some pick up the book I'm reading.

[Anonymous]

I'm a nurse at a hospital and see the biggest judgement on weight, overall appearance, and middle aged women (especially ones who advocate well for themselves). I also see judgement of 40-50 year old "man babies" about pain. 90% of staff are great, but the 10% really stands out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate to say it as a woman but it depends on male vs. female drs. Male drs and nerdy female drs - I think they don't judge based on designer bags. As PPs have said, some of the men don't necessarily recognize designer purses or clothes at first sight. Nerdy female drs. may recognize them but just aren't impressed.

For those groups I feel like the judgment/quality of the interaction is much more based on what you do for a living. I feel like they treat white collar professionals and high earning professionals as smart. And while I guess they shouldn't know what you do for a living or where you went to college - I've had drs ask and then they spoke to me more like an equal once they realized I was a lawyer, went to an ivy etc. Some of this may be judgment, some of this may just be - I can go through this in detail with this person who will understand and/or know to ask questions if they don't understand.

Female drs who are fashionable/who consider themselves fashionable - yeah I feel they def judge on everything including clothes, shoes etc. GW had one of these in primary care and she was a nightmare and the reviews were so split. Half the reviews were OMG she's sooooo great, she explains everything, I totally trust her. Half were - she basically didn't speak to me, was condescending/rude. It was clear she was treating humans very differently based on her judgment. She has since moved onto another practice in the area.

This is interesting. I may change my profession title just a tad to see if the reaction is different. I do find I am asked my profession a lot more in recent years.

At one practice, the admissions forms asked what college I attended. I studied overseas at a place most Americans wouldn't know. I asked the doctor why they asked this and if ivy league grads got better treatment. My husband has a PhD (non medical) and I've seen some referral letters from one specialist to another calling him Dr Larlo. I wonder if this is code is "intelligent patient - treat him better".

Wow talk about cutting to the chase - that practice couldn't even get it from small talk, they straight up asked on the form?? Was this a concierge practice or a regular one in a very wealthy area?

And yes drs do treat other drs MUCH better - I realize he's a non medical PhD but if it's a science PhD type, I can still see him falling into the special treatment doctors give other doctors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Being a fat woman at the doctor is the worst thing you can possibly be. Especially if you try to talk about something other than your weight.

I’m fat and avoid the doctor because of this. They assume I’m lazy, dumb, and poor because of my weight.

+1000 This has been my experience too. It's awful.

Please don't avoid the doctor for this. My mom (who was just borderline overweight at age 63) avoided the doctor for years, and I am fairly confident that weight was the reason and she didn't want to step on the scale. Her breast cancer was discovered by her dermatologist. Fortunately mammograms don't require a doctor's order anymore, but that wasn't the case 20 years ago.

Unfortunately I have started avoiding. I really can't take the poor treatment anymore.

People are getting bad treatment for many reasons. Our only solution is to bring an advocate who will speak up for you, and put the doctors in their place - which is to heal you.

PP here. I'm a litigator. So I really can't stomach the idea of bringing my DH, also a litigator, in to advocate on my behalf when he would do it poorly and yet get the proper attention. I just can't take it. I shouldn't have to do that. I'd rather not go, no matter what the consequences. I'm too tired of the misogyny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hate to say it as a woman but it depends on male vs. female drs. Male drs and nerdy female drs - I think they don't judge based on designer bags. As PPs have said, some of the men don't necessarily recognize designer purses or clothes at first sight. Nerdy female drs. may recognize them but just aren't impressed.

For those groups I feel like the judgment/quality of the interaction is much more based on what you do for a living. I feel like they treat white collar professionals and high earning professionals as smart. And while I guess they shouldn't know what you do for a living or where you went to college - I've had drs ask and then they spoke to me more like an equal once they realized I was a lawyer, went to an ivy etc. Some of this may be judgment, some of this may just be - I can go through this in detail with this person who will understand and/or know to ask questions if they don't understand.

Female drs who are fashionable/who consider themselves fashionable - yeah I feel they def judge on everything including clothes, shoes etc. GW had one of these in primary care and she was a nightmare and the reviews were so split. Half the reviews were OMG she's sooooo great, she explains everything, I totally trust her. Half were - she basically didn't speak to me, was condescending/rude. It was clear she was treating humans very differently based on her judgment. She has since moved onto another practice in the area.

This is interesting. I may change my profession title just a tad to see if the reaction is different. I do find I am asked my profession a lot more in recent years.

At one practice, the admissions forms asked what college I attended. I studied overseas at a place most Americans wouldn't know. I asked the doctor why they asked this and if ivy league grads got better treatment. My husband has a PhD (non medical) and I've seen some referral letters from one specialist to another calling him Dr Larlo. I wonder if this is code is "intelligent patient - treat him better".

Wow talk about cutting to the chase - that practice couldn't even get it from small talk, they straight up asked on the form?? Was this a concierge practice or a regular one in a very wealthy area?

And yes drs do treat other drs MUCH better - I realize he's a non medical PhD but if it's a science PhD type, I can still see him falling into the special treatment doctors give other doctors.

I have a biomedical PhD and doctors are condescending to me if I ask too many questions or bring up anything I read online. Doctors HATE their expertise being questioned, whether the patient is educated or not.

[Anonymous]

I will no longer disclose to these people what my profession is, unless I determine it’s pertinent to my treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I will no longer disclose to these people what my profession is, unless I determine it’s pertinent to my treatment.

Will you lie? Or else what do you say when they say "so what do you do for work" - "I won't tell you, I don't feel it's pertinent to my treatment?" Because doctors tend to be insecure, you "talk back" like that and make them realize they shouldn't be asking and they hate you right off the bat so then good luck advocating if you need something that they think isn't necessary yet or whatever.

[Anonymous]

I'm an engineer and I think doctors do judge people by profession.

They say the engineers over-analyze everything and doctors hate that.

We just like math. We want to know the diagnosis and the uncertainty bands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a female doctor, I don't pay much attention to the designer status of clothing worn or bag toted. I would note if they were neatly dressed and groomed or disheveled.

One of my core physicians, my Internist actually complimented me on a brand name handbag once and it did take me by surprise. The bag was across the room and not anywhere near the examining table. Since then, I wonder if they judge based upon what patients wore when they were seen.

I've had some pick up the book I'm reading.

This is even worse than judging a purse. I feel like being judged for what I am reading or just how opinionated people are on what others read is the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I will no longer disclose to these people what my profession is, unless I determine it’s pertinent to my treatment.

Will you lie? Or else what do you say when they say "so what do you do for work" - "I won't tell you, I don't feel it's pertinent to my treatment?" Because doctors tend to be insecure, you "talk back" like that and make them realize they shouldn't be asking and they hate you right off the bat so then good luck advocating if you need something that they think isn't necessary yet or whatever.

“I’m mostly retired” and you move on to another subject. They’re usually too hurried to engage in small talk.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think they try to, but everyone is subject to unconscious bias. I think good doctors/hospitals recognize that and work on it.