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Choosing a family doc as a med student


TheWayIAre

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I'm entering med school this fall and want to switch my family physician. I'm curious as to how others in the healthcare field (med students, residents, nurses, practicing physicians etc.) select their family doc. The field is saturated, and not every practicing family doc is amazing. Is there some way of using the fact that you're in healthcare to your advantage, to make the process easier?

And also, what are the conversations like? Do you feel like conversations with your family doc are a bit more conversational and less didactic, when they find out you're in healthcare?

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When I was a medical student, I got a recommendation from Student Affairs at my school (Western) - they were helping us get connected at that point.  When I started residency, I just asked my friends/extended social network for recommendations and was lucky enough to find someone who was taking new patients.  I know some people have been able to find family doctors by contacting, e.g., local family health teams and saying that they are physicians, and have gotten into closed practices that way.  So sometimes that can work, if you're having trouble finding someone with space.

When I was a medical student it really didn't feel very different since my medical knowledge wasn't very practical yet anyway and my family doctor was much older so her knowledge base was clearly far above mine.  My current family doctor is younger, and I'm in residency, so I would say it depends what we're talking about.  If we're talking about anything related to my specialty, she really takes my word for it, because my specialty knowledge is likely greater than hers, but when it comes to her area of expertise (literally everything else) I still defer to her.  She definitely asks me for my opinion - who knows if she asks me more or less than her other patients, but I do feel like she asks for my opinion a little bit more in terms of if I want a test or a specialist referral for something versus watchful waiting.  But I try to be very respectful of her knowledge base and not be a backseat driver.

I think doctors tend to be backseat drivers with their healthcare and overall I think it probably doesn't go well for us.  I think the most important thing is someone that you can trust enough to let go of the reins and let them take an unbiased approach to your health while you take on the (informed) patient role.  I really trust my family doctor's judgment and guidance and so I think we have a very good and open relationship when it comes to approaches to my health (I have a couple chronic things that I deal with).

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My family doc doesn’t teach med students or residents which was Important to me. We just found her through a list of family docs taking patients in the area. I did switch to her from a crappy one I had previously and I’m very happy with her care as she’s attentive, evidence-based, and treats me like a knowledgeable patient, but not a colleague. When she’s taking a history or talking to me about medical conditions she does speak to me at my level, but she also makes recommendations and suggests courses of treatment as she would with any patient. She’s careful to remind me that I am not my own doctor, but she also understands that I do have more insight into things and she’ll trust my judgement on exam findings when having a phone visit. She doesn’t just order or prescribe whatever I want unless she agrees with the need for it. I call her Dr. S, not her first name, to maintain a bit of distance.

 

My rheumatologist, though, appointments with her are more relaxed/collegial. She’s about my age, just recently finished fellowship, and has kids with similar concerns to mine. Plus we’re in a Facebook group together and I’ve done a horizontal elective with her. I do call her by her first name but it’s because we’re more peer-ish. 

 

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