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

It’s time to wave goodbye to the handshake

Brandon Jacobi
Conditions
March 5, 2019
2K Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

As I sit in the conference room awaiting one of my first interviews for residency, the angst among all the applicants was palpable. We all make awkward eye contact and conversation with each other as our interviewers pull us out of the room one by one to speak with us. Amongst the awkwardness and anxiety, my attention was directed at the applicant next to me when I heard the dreaded inhale preceding a sneeze. I leaned in the other direction in hopes of not catching the plague, but what I saw next mortified me most. He instinctively took both hands to cup his nose and mouth, sneezing directly into his palms instead of his upper sleeve. Like a bad comedy, his interviewer called on him next as they shook hands and exchanged microbes.

It’s circumstances like these that prove handshakes are an unnecessary vector for the spread of germs across the globe. The tradition of handshaking was born centuries ago as a gesture that each person was unarmed and not carrying any weapons in their right hand. As society has continued to modernize and adapt to the changing times, this outdated tradition somehow still has a vise around acceptable societal norms. It’s time that we start moving away from handshakes and needless threats to our collective well-being.

In a time when preventative medicine is in the spotlight to lower healthcare costs, it’s prudent that we explore any avenues that reduce transmission of diseases. Unfortunately, we live in a society that isn’t very hygienic. Even physicians, the gold standard of hygiene and sterility, do a substandard job of keeping their hands clean. A 2010 study showed that only 40 percent of physicians and other healthcare professionals followed hospital hygiene protocol. This affords bacteria a home on physicians’ hands and a way to travel when they shake hands with patients.

Undoubtedly, proper hand hygiene adherence is the best way to prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistance and lower health care-associated infections. Through physical exams and countless procedures, bacteria are afforded alternative routes of transmission besides handshakes from healthcare professionals. This is why those entrusted with the care of patients must remain cognizant of proper hand hygiene during every patient encounter.

Stepping out of the hospital and into the streets shows that hand hygiene deficiency has permeated out of the healthcare setting as well. Researchers in London took swabs from the hands of 50 people on the street to analyze the bacteria on their hands. Their results showed that one out of every three hands was contaminated with bacteria normally found in feces. It’s become almost a common occurrence to see at least one person completely skip washing their hands after using a public restroom, leading to results like these.

I recognize that it’s nearly impossible to make everyone adhere to proper hand hygiene protocol which is why it’s important for society to begin to normalize not shaking hands when greeting others. Alternatives to the handshake have already proven to be more effective at reducing bacteria transmission rates between people. One recent study showed that high-fiving cut bacteria transmission in half, while fist bumping lowered it tenfold. Although these results are quite impressive, I don’t think there’s a need to have any contact between hands for a greeting to risk a transmission rate above zero.

Brandon Jacobi is a medical student.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Physician Strong: a private practice journey

March 5, 2019 Kevin 0
…
Next

How to help your doctor with diagnosis

March 5, 2019 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Infectious Disease

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Physician Strong: a private practice journey
Next Post >
How to help your doctor with diagnosis

More by Brandon Jacobi

  • Stop stigmatizing medication-assisted treatment

    Brandon Jacobi
  • The new mental health education mandate doesn’t go far enough

    Brandon Jacobi
  • Let’s make seeking mental health acceptable

    Brandon Jacobi

Related Posts

  • Goodbye, Benadryl: It is time for you to retire

    Roy Benaroch, MD
  • Doctors: It’s time to unionize

    Thomas D. Guastavino, MD
  • Finding happiness in the time of COVID

    Anonymous
  • A medical student’s reflection on time, the scarcest resource

    Natasha Abadilla
  • It’s time to ban productivity from medicine

    Robert Centor, MD
  • It is time to make the unvaccinated pay their fair share

    Hayward Zwerling, MD

More in Conditions

  • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

    William Lynes, MD
  • The psychoanalytic hammer: lessons in listening and patient-centered care

    Greg Smith, MD
  • 5 essential tips to help men prevent prostate cancer

    Kevin Jones, MD
  • Changing the pediatric care landscape: Integrating behavioral and mental health care

    Hilary M. Bowers, MD
  • Unlocking the secret to successful weight loss: Curiosity is the key

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

    Raymond Abbott
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • 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
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The hidden gems of health care: Unlocking the potential of narrative medicine

      Dr. Najat Fadlallah | Physician
    • The realities of immigrant health care served hot from America’s melting pot

      Stella Cho | Policy
    • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

      Ketan Desai, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech

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

  • Marginalized Groups May Benefit More From Decreasing Air Pollution
  • Pitolisant Safe and Effective in Children With Narcolepsy
  • Functional Neurological Disorder Emerges After COVID Infection, Vaccines
  • Neuromodulation of the Peroneal Nerve Safe for Overactive Bladder
  • Clinical Challenges: Test Your Knowledge of Atopic Dermatitis

Meeting Coverage

  • Switch to IL-23 Blocker Yields Deep Responses in Recalcitrant Plaque Psoriasis
  • Biomarkers of Response With Enfortumab Vedotin in Advanced Urothelial Cancer
  • At-Home Topical Therapy for Molluscum Contagiosum Gets High Marks
  • Outlook for Itchy Prurigo Nodularis Continues to Improve With IL-31 Antagonist
  • AAAAI President Shares Highlights From the 2023 Meeting
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • 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
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The hidden gems of health care: Unlocking the potential of narrative medicine

      Dr. Najat Fadlallah | Physician
    • The realities of immigrant health care served hot from America’s melting pot

      Stella Cho | Policy
    • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

      Ketan Desai, MD, PhD | Physician
    • Lazarus: the dead man brought back to life

      William Lynes, MD | Conditions
    • Revolutionizing COPD management with virtual care solutions [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • What I think it means to be a medical student in the wake of AI

      Jackson J. McCue | Tech

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

It’s time to wave goodbye to the handshake
7 comments

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

Loading Comments...