WTF: Want to know what health care is like for trans people?

[PunkKitty]

Take some time to read this Twitter thread. I know people that have experienced many of these problems. I've experienced some of them myself. It's pretty messed up.

This should be required reading for ALL health care and mental health professionals.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/transhealthfail

 

[bsman]

I hate to say it, but my eye was drawn to this: Because I didnt want a husband & children, I was turned down for #SRS in 1985 by surgeon Dr. Razer, & urologist Dr. Weiner

 

[Tiltsta]

You would think medical people would have a better grasp of these issues. Apparently many of them do not.

 

[jaxn slim]

You would think medical people would have a better grasp of these issues. Apparently many of them do not.

In my experience, a large number of medical professionals are very good at one or a few types of tasks and simply terrible at anything else.
It's kind of that book smarts vs street smarts dichotomy.

 

[Chad]

In my experience, a large number of medical professionals are very good at one or a few types of tasks and simply terrible at anything else.
It's kind if that book smarts vs street smarts dichotomy.

Having worked with doctors for 6 years, this is my experience. The department chair of the department I worked in was one of the best cardio/thoracic surgeon/radiologist in the world and he had to have someone open Outlook on his computer because he never could find it.

 

[Flamencology]

Having worked with doctors for 6 years, this is my experience. The department chair of the department I worked in was one of the best cardio/thoracic surgeon/radiologist in the world and he had to have someone open Outlook on his computer because he never could find it.

It's like you're talking about my mother.

She's not quite that bad, but it's close.

 

[Gary Blanchard]

There are a lot of things that doctors do not learn in a general medical education. Many are woefully lacking in knowledge of addiction issues and psychology as well.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

There are a lot of things that doctors do not learn in a general medical education. Many are woefully lacking in knowledge of addiction issues and psychology as well.

In my experience, all classes in patient communication and bedside manner have been eliminated from medical school curriculums.

 

[Theodore]

Doctors give me the heebies. At least mine have. Truly some of the most awful, dehumanizing, alienating experiences of my life, of which there are plenty. *strings*

 

[Flamencology]

In my experience, all classes in patient communication and bedside manner have been eliminated from medical school curriculums.

That was the case for a long time. In the past few years, that's changed. Expression of empathy is encouraged. It's a generational thing as well as a cultural thing really, I think.

Of course, it also depends on "where".

I've spent literally months in hospitals over the past 7 years, and that's not counting countless outpatient hours for MRIs, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, consultations, etc.

I've had very very few negative experiences with doctors, physiotherapists, speech therapists, social workers, receptionists, MRI and radiation technologists... My nurses have most been mostly exceptional. My neurosurgeons are blunt and socially awkward - one is in his late-50s, one in his early-80s - but they're great surgeons and, having gotten to know them a bit over the years, I genuinely like them.

Bottom line is one of where you are, and whether the professionals see health care as a for-profit business.

 

[Flamencology]

Would add that, unless your doctor is fairly young, that doctor would have had little to no training w/r/t trans patients.

 

[Kelly]

Would add that, unless your doctor is fairly young, that doctor would have had little to no training w/r/t trans patients.

I agree, and I think that with the pedestal that doctors place themselves on, they owe it to the public to grow more than many of them do.

 

[Tiltsta]

Would add that, unless your doctor is fairly young, that doctor would have had little to no training w/r/t trans patients.

I think this is probably the main thing at play; Medical professional's ignorance of the issues rather than any ill will towards the trans patient.

I'm 45 years old, and have lived in Boston, Manhattan, any many medium sized towns, and a lot of small towns. I've never met a trans person in real life, at least not to my knowledge. If not for the trans people I've met online, I would have no idea about what gender pronouns to use, etc., until I was corrected. I'd bet a lot of people are like me. We just don't know the right way to interact, other than the basics of human decency. We want to do the right thing for positive social interaction, but are confused about what we should say. Based on the fact that most doctors are stupid busy and mostly hang out with other nerds, I bet they are in the same boat I am.

That said, some of the medical stuff in those posts are face palm level understanding of human biology.

 

[jp_nyc]

You would think medical people would have a better grasp of these issues. Apparently many of them do not.

Doctors are sometimes like lawyers and programmers—autistic savants who are very good at a few things but otherwise completely out of touch with reality. Listen to Ben Carson interviews to see what I mean.

 

[Flamencology]

Doctors are sometimes like lawyers and programmers—autistic savants who are very good at a few things but otherwise completely out of touch with reality. Listen to Ben Carson interviews to see what I mean.

Again, med schools in recent years have been trying to address this issue in their admissions process.

 

[mongooz]

my dad worked on everyone.....period. it didn't matter where they came from or who they were....only that they needed medical help.

 

[Flamencology]

my dad worked on everyone.....period. it didn't matter where they came from or who they were....only that they needed medical help.

I feel that's true of the vast, vast majority of doctors.

What we're primarily discussing here is the quality of their bedside manner, and their knowledge (or lack thereof) of a minority group.

 

[bsman]

Forget medical knowledge and professional demeanor -- how about a modicum of human decency...

 

[mongooz]

I feel that's true of the vast, vast majority of doctors.

What we're primarily discussing here is the quality of their bedside manner, and their knowledge (or lack thereof) of a minority group.

well...my dad was an anesthesiologist.....so he really only saw patients in the OR and recovery.....race didn't really come into it it

 

[Flamencology]

Forget medical knowledge and professional demeanor -- how about a modicum of human decency...

It's beyond medical knowledge, it's a matter of cultural knowledge. And that's important for doctors to know. If they're ignorant, it's not as though they have the time to say "hey, I'm really interested in your culture as a Muslim or Jehovah's Witness or a person who is in the process of transitioning, whatever, let's have coffee."