Doctors That Do Not Discuss Faith Are Not Less Effective

To the editors:



Re: “Faith at the Medical School,” oped, May 14

While I partly agree with the conclusion of Mr. Wafsy’s editorial that the medical school must do more to educate its students on issues that affect patient care, I take strong opposition the implication his article makes against non-religious (and religious) physicians who choose not to engage their patients on issues of faith by essentially calling them “[less] effective.”

I strongly believe that a physician has a moral obligation to learn about all aspects of a patient’s identity (socioeconomic status, occupation, culture, race, ethnicity, language, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity and religion) as they may or may not relate to her/his health habits, beliefs or practices. However, an understanding and subsequent consideration of these circumstances in the context of ensuring optimal patient care is where, I believe, such an obligation ends.

As an atheist and future medical professional, I plan to dutifully care for all my patients equally, the religious and the secular. I will be a present and fervent listener at the time of a grim diagnosis, attempting to understand my patient’s fears/desires and offering guidance for the future. And, yes, I will even pray with a patient should she or he ask.

However, I firmly believe that I am first and foremost a physician borne into medicine with the charges to cure disease (when possible) and to do no harm to my patients. I am not, nor will I ever be a spiritual advisor or religious sage during an existential crisis. And it seems likely that no lecture or course at the medical school could ever teach me to be that person for my patients. Does this make my contribution to patient care less meaningful or in any way less effective? Maybe for some patients; though most will find spiritual comfort in others. And perhaps still other patients will value the advice and life perspective of their secular physician. Even though he never took a course on religion at the medical school.



MATT OERTLI

Boston, Mass.

May 15, 2007



Matt Oertli is a second-year student at Harvard Medical School.