This week, a First Opinion nearly melted down medical Reddit. An MD, a Ph.D., and a doctor of nursing practice waded into the debate over who gets to be called "doctor" and proposed something revolutionary: Patients should never call their health care providers doctor. Instead, they argue, honorifics should be used only with peers.
As a born rule-follower with a humble bachelor's in English, I am too much of a coward to try this out on my own physician. But I would be so pleased if she told me to call her by her first name.
Stay tuned for the First Opinion Podcast this week, when two of the authors will join us to talk about their piece — and the response to it.
Also on First Opinion this past week: The editor-in-chief of Accountability in Research weighs in on the resignation of Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. Emergency room physician Craig Spencer offers a thoughtful take on AI in health care, as illustrated by a recent case in which tech would almost certainly have missed a patient's heart attack. Three researchers explain why "gain of function" shouldn't be a terrifying phrase. I almost cried at least three times while recording this week's podcast with Tara Rynders, author of the recent First Opinion on using dance to heal from the trauma of health care work. And much more.
Got an idea for First Opinion? We have a fancy new submission process here thanks to STAT's Adebola Omisore. Questions and feedback can still come to me by email, of course: torie.bosch@statnews.com.
Stay cool out there.
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