To the editors:
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Ms. Miller was definitely right in saying that “Everybody has a story.” I’ve been working in close contact with doctors for a numbers of years, mostly in hospitals (I’m not a nurse). I have come to judge doctors on their personal demeanor which includes how they interact with peers, staff, and their patients. The two doctors mentioned in the article, “Dr. God” and the “down-to-earth pediatrician” fit the profile of many I’ve encountered over the years. I’ve also come across doctors who throw temper tantrums when they don’t have their way immediately, doctors who are very condescending, and one I know in particular who seems to get a “kick” out of relaying all of his patients’ personal and medical history to me. (Talk about doctor-patient confidentiality, not this guy.)
In my observation, I have found the rudest doctors to be foreign-born. They become impatient and upset when you ask them to repeat what they have said because their English is unintelligible. It’s even worse when you get to hear it on a car phone!
