MDs With Chronic Illness Live in a Different Medical World

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Physicians with chronic illnesses face unique professional challenges, including resistance from other physicians when they seek treatment. But they also have a much richer understanding of their own patients.

report having a chronic illness or disability, according to studies from 2019 and 2021.

orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, autoinflammatory periodic fever syndrome, Lyme disease, and reactivated Epstein-Barr infection. Although his training gave him a stark picture of worst-case scenarios, Baker found that knowledge motivating."I'd already seen patients come in who had diabetes complications," Baker says."I vowed to never ever get those complications. It was a good balance of fear and motivation."

Managing his health is still a time-consuming task. At work, he needs breaks to eat, check his blood sugar, or take insulin."During the workday seeing patients, I have to also remember that I'm a patient," Baker says."I have to be okay with prioritizing my own health. Otherwise I can't help anybody."Chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension are familiar to most doctors, and with good management, patients can usually function normally.

Ableism in the medical field is all too familiar to Iezzoni. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 26 during her first year at Harvard Medical School in the early 1980s. Despite symptom flare-ups, Iezzoni was able to graduate with her class, but many instructors and administrators had little interest in accommodating her physical limitations. In fact, several physicians discouraged her from continuing to train.

Who else, she wonders, could provide that"reaffirming" experience for patients or have that"unique edge" other than a provider who has navigated the same world?

 

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