Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

A post-election physician’s letter to his patients

Gregory B. Dodell, MD
Physician
November 22, 2016
13K Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

To my dear patients,

This has been a difficult time to be an American. I will never forget my walk through Central Park on the morning after the election; I have never felt New York so flat and somber. This election has brought out the worst in many. I have seen its ramifications in people’s health and fear that it may continue to have an impact. I want to express my goal during this time and beyond.

As a physician, it has always been clear that disease does not have a preference for skin color, gender or sexual preference. I would like to assume that every patient that I have seen has felt that in my care.

Unfortunately, these days maybe assumptions about people’s personal beliefs are not enough. So let me be clear, every patient that walks into my office will receive my best, including patients who have expressed views contrary to mine. This is the oath I have taken. This is my professional obligation.

I cherish the doctor-patient relationship. For me, the practice of medicine is about the whole person, not just lab results or vital signs. For this reason, I inquire about relationships, work life, stress, and beyond. I believe that these facets of your life impact your health. I am honored that you have shared these intricate details of your life and trusted me with that information and your care. There is no doubt that the majority of us have been impacted by this election, even if your candidate won, and it appears this will continue to be a stressful transition.

There is a reason the saying “xxx is making me sick” exists. Well, the maltreatment of other human beings across this nation is beyond disheartening. It may impact sleep, increase blood pressure, and blood sugar so we must continue to have an open dialogue about its impact on you. You can be sure, that I am feeling its effects. I am here for you! Let’s do our best together not to let them win.

I can’t begin to imagine what some of you have gone through based on your race, gender or sexual preference. I will aim to put myself in the veil of ignorance, as proposed by the American philosopher John Rawls, with that goal in mind. I will listen and support you to the best of my ability. I want all my patients to feel that they are in a place where they can be open and comfortable, because that is what you deserve as human beings.

I have fought for a health care public option because I believe that everyone has the right to access all the tools they need to reach their optimal health. There have been many things to be ashamed of as an American these days, but one that strikes way too close to home is people not being able to get the medications or the care that they desire or deserve. If anything positive can come from this change of leadership, I hope it is an improvement in the foundation of our health care system. Let us all stand together in solidarity as a human race to achieve this goal.

Sincerely,

Gregory B. Dodell, M.D.

Gregory B. Dodell is a physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

What a life in medicine means to me: What this resident is thankful for

November 22, 2016 Kevin 1
…
Next

The good, bad, and the ugly of repealing the Affordable Care Act

November 22, 2016 Kevin 4
…

Tagged as: Public Health & Policy

Post navigation

< Previous Post
What a life in medicine means to me: What this resident is thankful for
Next Post >
The good, bad, and the ugly of repealing the Affordable Care Act

Related Posts

  • A love letter to patients

    Marcie Costello
  • A physician’s addiction to social media

    Amanda Xi, MD
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • Patients in Sweden received fewer post-op opioids. Why is that?

    Richard Young, MD
  • Physician Suicide Awareness Day: Where are the patients? 

    Jennifer M. Sweeney
  • Is physician shadowing immoral?

    David Penner

More in Physician

  • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

    Dympna Weil, MD
  • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

    Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH
  • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

    Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD
  • How to overcome telemedicine’s biggest obstacles

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • The patient who became my soulmate

    Anonymous
  • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

    Jean Antonucci, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Lifestyle change: the forgotten solution in health care

      Tyler Petersen | Conditions
    • An unspoken truth about non-compete clauses in medicine

      Harry Severance, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The rise of generative AI in health care: Here’s what you need to know

      Anil Saldanha | Tech
    • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

      Dympna Weil, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Unlocking the secret to successful weight loss: Curiosity is the key

      Franchell Hamilton, MD | Conditions
    • The teacher who changed my life through reading

      Raymond Abbott | Conditions
    • Revaluating mental health assessments: It’s not just the patient you should consider

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 7 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Supporting the Mental Wellness of Physicians
  • Can Mothers Pass Obesity on to Daughters?
  • Strategies to Inform and Advance Rational Vaccine Design
  • Parkinson's Tied to Common Chemical; Injectable Brain Implants; Migraine Drug Recall
  • Ozempic Back on Shelves; More Positive Fezolinetant Data; Caffeine Cuts Fat?

Meeting Coverage

  • Trial of Novel TYK2 Inhibitor Hits Its Endpoint in Plaque Psoriasis
  • Durable Vitiligo Responses With Topical Ruxolitinib
  • High Rates of Psoriasis Clearance With Investigational TYK2 Inhibitor
  • Rapid Improvement in Atopic Dermatitis With Topical PDE4 Inhibitor
  • New Approaches in the Bladder-Sparing Paradigm
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • From physician to patient: one doctor’s journey to finding purpose after a devastating injury

      Stephanie Pearson, MD | Physician
    • Lifestyle change: the forgotten solution in health care

      Tyler Petersen | Conditions
    • An unspoken truth about non-compete clauses in medicine

      Harry Severance, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Why are doctors sued and politicians aren’t?

      Kellie Lease Stecher, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The rise of generative AI in health care: Here’s what you need to know

      Anil Saldanha | Tech
    • Finding peace through surrender: a personal exploration

      Dympna Weil, MD | Physician
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Unlocking the secret to successful weight loss: Curiosity is the key

      Franchell Hamilton, MD | Conditions
    • The teacher who changed my life through reading

      Raymond Abbott | Conditions
    • Revaluating mental health assessments: It’s not just the patient you should consider

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

A post-election physician’s letter to his patients
7 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...