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

Can we separate Donald Trump, the patient, from Donald Trump, the politician?

Anonymous
Conditions
October 9, 2020
355 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

When the president of the United States contracts a dangerous disease, the story is big news. When the same disease has taken the lives of 200,000 people and the same president has been under fire for grossly mishandling the response, the tale takes on a much bigger, almost biblical significance. Americans have been on tenterhooks since the news broke that Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19, and emotion and speculation is flying fast. That it is a disruption of the election process, another blow to the economy, and a threat to our national security, is without doubt. Depending on who you are, it is a plot and a conspiracy, or else a cautionary tale and a comeuppance that is a long time coming.

Whether you believe this is karma, divine retribution, or simply the expected and natural consequence of defying scientific principles and recommendations, one cannot deny its irony. As physicians, we process the news on both a professional and personal level. When faced with a medical question, our spidey-sense tingles, and almost automatically, we begin to break it down to patterns of symptoms and reduce it to studies and statistics. We analyze the data to arrive at the correct answer. With conflicting information being released to the public, we must reverse engineer the facts to assess the seriousness of the situation. The little information we have points to an experimental therapy that does not yet have strong data behind it, one that many of us had not even heard of despite closely following the research. Why was such a therapy instituted before more tried and true treatments? Does the treatment indicate that his condition is more serious than he lets on? When was he truly diagnosed? These are questions we may never have good answers to, though we can form some very educated guesses.

For months we have been on this collision course between public health and politics. We have seen thousands of patients who have already been where the president is now. And we have watched those patients suffer, without the benefit of a presidential level of care, patients who were treated in makeshift rooms with rationed medication and supplies. Patients who died alone without a last look at their loved ones. And we know much of that suffering was preventable. We have called on our policy-makers time and again to do what is necessary to gain control of the spreading disease and been ignored. Given the constant vilification physicians have endured during this pandemic, and the disregard for medical advice that has led to its spread, it is not surprising that some of us feel a sense of vindication for the struggles of our patients and colleagues. Maybe now someone will hear us, we think. Maybe now things will change.

But how the nation’s response changes in light of these developments remains to be seen. Could this be the turning point we have been waiting for? Will those who questioned the seriousness of the disease now realize that no one, not even the president is immune? Will they then take it to heart and do their part to finally make things right? One can only hope that personal experience with the disease brings with it some empathy for the suffering of millions of Americans and their families. And yet as the story unfolds, we continue to see signs of the same misplaced priorities and farcical bravado that has marked our course from day one. Time will tell if this will become a tale of redemption or extreme hubris.

As physicians, the situation tests our character and our commitment to our profession, and we ask ourselves if we can separate Donald Trump, the patient, from Donald Trump, the politician. It’s not a new question. We are faced with such dilemmas routinely as we treat alcoholics who continue to drink despite their liver disease, or perpetrators of violence who are injured while committing unspeakable crimes. Is it truly possible to hate the sin but heal the sinner?  Ethical questions such as this have been at the heart of medicine since the beginning of time, and within the four walls of the hospital, the answer must be yes. We are honor-bound to value human life, even when the bearer of that life does not.

Beyond the hospital, as citizens of this nation, we can see Donald Trump, the politician, for the man that he is and acknowledge his part in this American tragedy. We can honor the hundreds of thousands of lives lost. Hospitals are not meant to dispense justice. The place for that will be the ballot box.

The author is an anonymous physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Fortune favors the bold: How a physician lives up to that motto

October 9, 2020 Kevin 1
…
Next

Why socialized health care is not right for America

October 9, 2020 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: COVID, Infectious Disease

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Fortune favors the bold: How a physician lives up to that motto
Next Post >
Why socialized health care is not right for America

More by Anonymous

  • Navigating the broken medical system: challenges faced by foreign medical graduates

    Anonymous
  • In the trenches of health care: Facing unbearable strain

    Anonymous
  • Iranian doctors’ bravery: Upholding medical ethics amidst oppression

    Anonymous

Related Posts

  • Bias when treating supporters of President Trump

    Anonymous
  • Supporters of Obamacare should consider this Trump proposal

    Robert Laszewski
  • The Trump administration is systematically undermining women’s reproductive rights

    Monica Agarwal, MD, Alexa Lindley, MD and Emily Godfrey, MD
  • Don’t underestimate the appeal of a Trump “health plan”

    Bob Doherty
  • A universal patient medical record

    Michael R. McGuire
  • A patient waits. And waits.

    Michele Luckenbaugh

More in Conditions

  • Why patients write: stress relief, self-care, and sharing experiences

    R. Lynn Barnett
  • Misinformed claims and the offensiveness of discrediting COVID-19 vaccine development

    Angel Garcia Otano, MD
  • Family support is pivotal in the treatment of schizophrenia

    Frank Chen, MD
  • Exploring disfigurement and self-worth

    Kathleen Watt
  • Are we doing enough to help chronic pain sufferers?

    Adam Strohl, MD
  • Lessons taught by Bell’s palsy

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • I’m a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

      Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling excessive medical billing and greed

      Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH | Policy
    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Dying is a selfish business

      Nancie Wiseman Attwater | Conditions
    • Navigating medical decision-making: Embracing limits and growth

      Benjamin Wade Frush, MD | Physician
    • Empathy and compassion in palliative care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Navigating the broken medical system: challenges faced by foreign medical graduates

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
    • The essence of medicine: genuine connections in practice

      Jennifer Tillman, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Why patients write: stress relief, self-care, and sharing experiences

      R. Lynn Barnett | Conditions
    • Inside the grueling life of a surgery intern

      Randall S. Fong, MD | Physician
    • Misinformed claims and the offensiveness of discrediting COVID-19 vaccine development

      Angel Garcia Otano, MD | Conditions
    • Bitcoin’s role in diversified portfolios [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • 1 in 5 doctors will become disabled. Are you prepared?

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance

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 2 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

  • Did Gabapentin Improve Post-COVID Olfaction?
  • Fentanyl Death Trends; Food Additives and Heart Disease
  • What If the Doctor Is Out?
  • Reduced Mortality Seen in Cancer Survivors Who Meet Exercise Guidelines
  • CDC Advisors Endorse Maternal RSV Vax to Protect Newborns

Meeting Coverage

  • Loneliness Needs to Be Treated Like Any Other Health Condition, Researcher Suggests
  • Stopping Medical Misinformation Requires Early Detection
  • AI Has an Image Problem in Healthcare, Expert Says
  • Want Better Health Outcomes? Check Out What Other Countries Do
  • ERS Roundup: Cell Transplant Boosts Lung Function in COPD Patients
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • I’m a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

      Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling excessive medical billing and greed

      Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH | Policy
    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Dying is a selfish business

      Nancie Wiseman Attwater | Conditions
    • Navigating medical decision-making: Embracing limits and growth

      Benjamin Wade Frush, MD | Physician
    • Empathy and compassion in palliative care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Navigating the broken medical system: challenges faced by foreign medical graduates

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Mourning the silent epidemic: the physician suicide crisis and suggestions for change

      Amna Shabbir, MD | Physician
    • The essence of medicine: genuine connections in practice

      Jennifer Tillman, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Reigniting after burnout: 3 physician stories

      Kim Downey, PT | Physician
    • Why patients write: stress relief, self-care, and sharing experiences

      R. Lynn Barnett | Conditions
    • Inside the grueling life of a surgery intern

      Randall S. Fong, MD | Physician
    • Misinformed claims and the offensiveness of discrediting COVID-19 vaccine development

      Angel Garcia Otano, MD | Conditions
    • Bitcoin’s role in diversified portfolios [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • 1 in 5 doctors will become disabled. Are you prepared?

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance

MedPage Today Professional

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

Can we separate Donald Trump, the patient, from Donald Trump, the politician?
2 comments

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

Loading Comments...