What is a common misconception that people have about family practitioners?
"I think there are a number of misconceptions about physicians, in general. One of the most common misconceptions is that we are money-driven rather than care-driven. While you can find people who are more focused on earning potential than anything, physicians really do have a heart for our patients. Going to medical school and through residency programs is very difficult. It takes a great deal of dedication and drive to be able to accomplish the goal of being a doctor. Caring is at our heart."
"One misconception for some people is that they think family physicians are just an entry point into the medical system, a source or referrals to specialists and for minor problems. In fact, we can care for a wide variety of problems and seek consultation when we need help."
Not everyone has a clear understanding of what physicians in different specialties do. They may understand a medical term, such as cardio refers to the heart, or know that a family physician can see any age range of patients, but they don't necessarily understand how in-depth each specialty's care can be.
"I think a common misconception about family practice physicians is that we don't have an understanding of in-depth illnesses, such as a cardiologist or nephrologist may. It's not that we don't have an understanding. Our objective is to identify and manage common illnesses and diseases and to know when a referral to a specialist is appropriate for a client. It takes a group of healthcare providers with varying degrees of specialization to provide collaborative, effective care for patients."
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Anonymous Answer
In my opinion, one of the common problems that the family physician in Canada is facing right now is that, by increasing the number of immigrants, they have their own prejudgement in some areas of medicine which are based on their previous experience in their own country. Which sometimes is not the best option, and educating them is a time-consuming task.
On the other hand, sometimes there is this misconception that family physicians are only for simple treatments, and they insist on a referral to a specialist to get the best result.
Jaymie's Feedback
These are good examples. If you can, share ways that you, as a family practitioner, help educate patients about those misconceptions.
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