Some people are under the impression that doctors and other medical professionals take an oath to do whatever a patient wants, which means they must leave their own principles at the door. But Dr. Jeff Barrows of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA) says that is inaccurate.
"That's a relatively new thinking that is spreading around, and that's why we are opposed at CMDA of using the terminology of 'healthcare provider,'" he says, noting that "provider" seems to feed into that.
Instead, CMDA prefers the term "healthcare professional."
"We have gone to school for many years to learn what is best for the patient, and that's always what we have in view: What is best for the patient in front of us," Dr. Barrows accounts.
Regarding something like the transgender issue, he says the CMDA looks at the science and sees "very clear evidence," especially for young people, that the best is not for them to go through so-called transitions. "It's best for them to wait," asserts Dr. Barrows.
He reiterates that healthcare professionals never do whatever the patient says.
"We're not like an ATM, where you come in, you get whatever prescription you want, and you leave," he says. "That's a totally wrong view."
The CMDA spokesman points out that healthcare professionals are the ones who have been trained to look out for what is best for their patients.
