6 Qualities That Super Doctors Possess

It’s hard to find the perfect doctor. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing. But there are certain qualities that make a doctor amazing. I happen to have some opinions on this subject. But let’s be clear, my opinions are based on a patient-centered model of care, not only because I’m a doctor myself. Anything we do that benefits patients benefits everyone. Here’s my model of the SUPER doctor.

1. A super doctor listens. I’m not talking about someone who simply asks questions and then listens to the answer. Yes, that’s important as well. But a doctor who listens takes the time to hear your entire story — WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.
   
   The truth is that most of the information a doctor needs will be provided by the patient if they sit and listen without disturbing the thought process for about 5 minutes. Many times, the patient will also interject their values or preferences, and often will suggest what they think might be the problem. In fact, these patient expectations allow the doctor to focus on what the patient is most concerned about.
   
   For example, a patient might come in with leg swelling and ultimately be diagnosed with an infection. They are sent home with an antibiotic and the doctor feels pretty good about their diagnosis and treatment. But the patient was concerned about a blood clot and the doctor never addressed this because they didn’t take the time to fully listen to the patient.
   
   Asking questions, especially yes and no questions that are not open-ended — that is not listening. It takes patience and silence to allow the patient time to speak. This time not only allows for fluid information exchange but sets a mood of compassion and trust, time that tells the patient, “I care about what you have to say.”
   
2. A super doctor passes no judgment. A doctor-patient relationship is based on trust. There’s no patient who is going to share their substance abuse history, alternative treatments, or sexual identity with a doctor if they believe the doctor might judge them based on these personal attributes.
   
   It is NEVER a doctor’s job to hold biases towards any patients. Yet, the truth is that having biases is to be human and many times uncontrollable. Recognizing and working on improving biases, but most importantly, being compassionate towards any patient characteristic that might cause the physician to be uncomfortable, is what separates out the best physicians.
   
   The golden rule, “treat everyone as you would want to be treated,” applies to every patient, no matter how different they are from the physician. Even if it comes down to a patient that has different or opposed beliefs. Offering them the same chance and compassion as any other patient creates the super doctor that you desire.
   
3. A super doctor accepts your internet research. You have chest pain and you go on the internet. The internet says you are having a heart attack. You are convinced of this diagnosis after reading a number of articles. So you decide to go to the doctor to be checked out. How do you feel when the doctor rolls their eyes at you when you explain your medical internet search? It’s awful, right? And it should never happen.
   
   The internet is a reality in today’s world. There’s more information than you could ever read, some good and some bad, but it’s hard to sort it all out. So when the internet scares you and you seek the help of a doctor, they should encourage the search, embrace the information, and help you to understand why it is either correct or incorrect for your given symptoms.
   
   Sometimes it’s as easy as saying, “your too young to have that condition.” Other times agreeing that a workup is necessary but assuring you that the risk is still low is a comfort that can go a long way. Either way, in my practice, I’m always happy to discuss an internet search. I’m glad you were motivated enough to try to help yourself and understand your condition. My job is to add to that by explaining, comforting, guiding, and reassuring. So thank you.
   
4. A super doctor asks about your values, preferences, and fears. How is a doctor supposed to treat you appropriately if they don’t know what you want? And what if you’re scared of a procedure or aspects of your diagnosis? These are important questions that doctors should take the time to ask you, get to know you (I mean really know you), and understand what drives your decisions.
   
   By doing so, your care can be as close as possible to your expectations and you are more likely to follow through with treatment recommendations. If you want to try and control your high blood pressure with diet instead of medications, the doctor needs to know this. As much as you should advocate for yourself, your doctor should care to ask YOU about YOU.
   
5. A super doctor is your partner, NOT your superior. I’ve had patients thank me for asking them their thoughts — whether it be what concerns them, their thoughts about the cause of their problems, or how they’d like to proceed. A doctor has the knowledge to give recommendations and lay out the options.
   
   But it is the teamwork of the doctor-patient relationship that allows for a decision with which everyone can be happy. Bo Schembechler, the famed football coach at the University of Michigan once said, “The team, the team, the team.” It is the team that wins, not the individual, and in medicine, no one is above another. Shared decision-making can make all of the difference and the one who uses this to the patient’s advantage is one smart super doc.
   
6. A super doctor is knowledgeable but knows when they need help. You want a competent doctor, one that stays up to date with the evidence and uses it correctly. One way I know whether my doctor uses that knowledge is in my discussions about commonly misunderstood practices. For instance, my daughter’s pediatrician quotes studies left and right — i.e. should you drink whole milk or when should antibiotics be given? But when my daughter has an ear infection and the doctor explains why antibiotics are not necessary, allowing me to make an educated and informed decision, I know that the doctor’s words are also actions that they follow.
   
   And this is an extremely important quality for me. I don’t want a doctor who prescribes an antibiotic for every upper respiratory infection that walks in the door. That’s lazy malpractice and probably harms patients more than it helps. On the same token, I also want a doctor that knows their limitations and when they need to ask for help. This could be sending a patient to a specialist or even recommending a second opinion to a similar specialist to make sure the patient gets the best care and treatment possible. Two heads are better than one and a doctor who recognizes this is truly the genius.

Smart, charismatic, humble, team player, accepting, kind-hearted, and patient — these are characteristics of my ideal doctor. I wouldn’t expect perfection from all of these traits, but at least great on the majority. Picking your physician is an important part of your health. You don’t need a pigheaded dogmatic doctor who tells you it’s their way or the highway. Most physicians are amazing clinicians and amazing people who want to help you find better health. But if you haven’t found the perfect doc yet, keep searching, because it’s your life and you deserve the best.