Posted on February 26, 2015
As many of you know, I am a girl scout troop leader. (Love girl power. Building girls of confidence, courage and character.) In the girl scout promise they focus on respect.
What is respect? I decided to look it up in the dictionary.
re·spect
/rɪˈspɛkt/ Show Spelled[ri-spekt]
–noun
- esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect for her judgment.
- deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment: respect for a suspect’s right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the elderly.
- the condition of being esteemed or honored: to be held in respect.
- respects, a formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship: Give my respects to your parents.
–verb (used with object)
- to hold in esteem or honor: I cannot respect a cheat.
- to show regard or consideration for: to respect someone’s rights.
Wow. What great thoughts, and where has this gone in modern times? This seems like a good thing for doctors and patients to show and do.
We doctors should respect our patients.
- I try to respect your time, and my office tends to be punctual.
- I respect you are an important individual, which is why I see you personally each time, why my staff knows your name.
- I respect your opinion, which is why I present options to you, educate you, and help you come to the best course of treatment for you. Every person is different. I am not all knowing or all powerful. I respect this is your body, your life. I want you to make your decisions (with helpful education, insights, and guidance when needed from my experience and training).
- I respect you are an important key to many in your life: daughter, friend, mother, spouse. So I will take care of you like I would my own family. Safety and caring are key.
Respect others and authority. As a doctor who has been in practice for over 15 years and done hundreds and hundreds of surgeries, I am an authority. You will have surgery once, maximum maybe a handful of times in your lifetime. This is my job. This is what I do all the time. Please listen to me. The internet has given everyone access to information. I think information is great, but you need a filter. Not everything in print, particularly on the internet, is correct. I am happy to answer questions and help you filter what you find. To get to be your doctor I went through 4 years of medical school, followed by general surgery residency, plastic surgery residency, and then a breast and cosmetic fellowship. I lived in a hospital for the entire decade of my twenties to learn my craft.
I am human. I also am a friend, sister, daughter, and mother with a family. I put my all into my job. If you are ever unhappy, I would ask you show me the respect I show you and please talk to me. There is a reason you picked me to be your doctor.
Respect. It is a quality lacking in these modern times. Let’s take a lesson from the girlscouts.