Should You Tell Your Doctor That You Are a Doctor?

Should doctors seeking healthcare disclose that they are doctors?

When urologist Ashley Winter made a straightforward request on Twitter, it led to heated debate:

"If you are a doctor coming for an appointment, please tell me you are a doctor—not because I will treat you differently, but because it is easier to speak in medical terminology."

She later added, "This does not mean I will be less patient-centered or emotional with a doctor or another healthcare worker. It just means that, instead of saying 'You will have a catheter that drains your urine into a bag,' I can say 'You will have a Foley.'"

The tweet followed an encounter with a patient who disclosed being a doctor after Winter had explained a surgical procedure in lay terms.

Dr. Winter: "I explained the operation assuming he was an intelligent adult, but using entirely nonmedical terms", she said. The patient then told her he was a doctor. "I think I felt embarrassed—I would not have treated him differently, but I could have discussed the procedure more professionally with him."

Later, in an interview, "It was partly my own fault", said Winter, a urologist and sexual medicine specialist in Portland, Oregon. "I did not take time at the start of the visit to ask what he did for work, but it is a fine line", she added.

"Patients seek medical care from us, and asking what they do for work does not always have to be the priority. But if you do not ask, you put them in a position where they have to find a way to go ahead and tell you."

Several people joined in to share their thoughts. Some agreed with Winter, posting:

"As a second-year resident, I cared for a retired cardiologist in hospital who honestly let me 'explain' his echocardiogram and never told me. I found out a few days later that he was a cardiologist and wanted to die of embarrassment."

Another recalled a similarly embarrassing experience of 'going on' while discussing headaches with a patient whose spouse was 'grinning in the corner,' replying to Dr. Winter's tweet:

"They later told me the spouse was a retired family physician who had practiced medicine longer than I had been alive. I was very embarrassed", they said.

Some said they did not want to disclose being healthcare professionals because they felt it affected the care they received.

For example, @drhelenrainford commented, "In my experience, my care is less 'caring' when they know I am a doctor. They talk as if they are discussing a patient with me—no empathy, just facts and difficult outcomes blurted out. A terrible, terrible time as an inpatient…but that is another story!"

@Dr_B_Ring said, "No—you and I speak different jargon. I would like you to talk to me as a person who does not know your jargon. If you knew I was a fellow doctor, my ego would stop me asking about abbreviations I do not know."

In contrast to some, @lozzlemcfozzle said, "Honestly, I prefer to tell my doctors—I have seen people skip explanations assuming I 'know,' or become a little nervous when I tell them!"

Others said they felt uncomfortable disclosing being doctors, worried they might seem showy or appear to expect special care.

The user @MDaware said, "I want to tell people early, not because it requires special treatment, but because I do not want to wait too long and have it seem like a trap".

Twitter user @MsBabyCatcher wrote, "I struggle to do this because I do not want people to think I am showing off or that I will micromanage or dictate."

Replying to @MsBabyCatcher, @RedStethoscope wrote, "I used to think that too, until I was treated very poorly a few times and other doctor mothers advised me to 'play the doctor card.' I received more compassionate care by making sure it was clear I was a doctor (which is insignificant, but here we are)."

Many respondents used the words 'deceptive' and 'awkward,' suggesting a common theme for doctors presenting as patients.

"I struggle with this. My 5-year-old son broke his arm this weekend, and we spent hours in the emergency department of the hospital where I work. I never mentioned it because I did not want preferential care. But the information they gave while explaining his fracture type felt awkward and inefficient", said @lindsay_petty.

To avoid awkwardness, some participants said they deliberately used medical jargon to start a conversation rather than simply announcing they were doctors.

Others suggested more direct ways to raise the subject when introducing oneself as a patient:

"For your information, I am an X doctor, but I am here because I really want your help and advice!" That is what I usually do," wrote @drcakefm.

@BeeSting14618 tweeted, "Usually, 'I know some of this, but I am here because I want YOUR guidance. I may also ask silly questions, so please excuse me."

Some added humor: "I just do the 14-part handshake only doctors know. Is that not standard?" @Branmiz25.

"Oh yes, that conveys the entire history of the present illness", Winter replied.

Joking aside, Winter said the topic touched on a shared experience among healthcare providers. The Twitter thread she had just started 'blew up.'

That is typically a sign that a tweet is relatable for many people, she said.

"It is certainly something we all understand as doctors and patients. It is a funny, awkward thing that can really change an interaction, so we probably all feel strongly about our experiences of it", she added.

The discussion raises a question: Is there a requirement or ethical reason to disclose?

Medical ethicist Charlotte Blease said, "I think it is entirely reasonable to tell another doctor that one is a medical professional. There are good reasons to believe it can make a difference to communication quality and transparency."

Knowing how to share the information is another matter

. Blease, an academic at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said that using medical terminology or jargon more freely could help if it improves the patient's understanding, autonomy and shared decision-making.

"Since doctors should strive to communicate effectively with every patient and respect their unique needs and level of understanding, I see no reason to deny that someone is a doctor", she added.

Winter commented, "This affects all of us as doctors—we will be patients at some point, will we not?".

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