One of my very close friend recently in a chit chat just happened to ask me something which I know most of the others would love to ask and know.

" Are our Doctors Good in their field and can we Trust them?" .

Knowing that I too am a doctor, and that between us we do share a lot of things, l I found him just like any disgruntled patients and their family members who have indeed suffered due to an error in judgement by the doctor.

I told him that what everyone of us have to realize that 'Doctors are also human beings and that doctors do commit mistakes.' But then there are some doctors who refuse to accept the fact that they have made a mistake, and refuse to discuss their problems either with their collegues, spouse or even with themselves.

They prefer ignoring, overlooking or covering up for their mistakes, and many of them land up making the same mistakes again and again throughout their lifetime. I feel that in a doctors life, learning and mistakes go hand in hand, and like everyone doctors need to be lifelong learners or students in their field. I know that we will be making mistakes thoroughout our lives, as all humans do make mistakes, and doctors are no exception, which we should accept, but then I have come across many of my own collegue who would act typically in response to their mistakes by simply blaming the system, other members of the health care team, or at times even the patients, though I do agree that the patient shares a distinct reposibility, they must come on time, come prepared and be open and not hide anything. Many patients are under the impression that by hiding their symptoms they are 'Testing' the doctors.

I further told him that what every people should realize is the fact that, for every patient that has died or had a mishap at the hands of negligent doctors, there are instances of hundreds of patients who have been saved becaue of the alertness or accurate diagnosis of the doctors; for every doctor who is accused of being in the profession only for the money it brings , there are many who give all of their efforts to make the ill feel better; and for every doctor, who is accused of socializing while neglecting his patients, there are those who stay on calls, even during festivals, often to the detriment of their own family lives.

I sicerely feel that blacklisting the profession as a whole for the mistakes of a few is unfair. Doctors are genuine in their efforts as the next human being, and bove all Doctors are not above making mistakes.

[would like to have your feedbacks on my thoughts please!]