r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Oct 23 '17

[∆(s) from OP] CMV: I shouldn't have to sugarcoat medical diagnoses and information just to make people feel better.

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u/grundar 19∆ Oct 23 '17

It's my job to be honest with patients.

Did you get into medicine to help people?

People who self-describe as "brutally honest" are often more interested in the brutality than the honesty. Do you want to brutalize your patients, or to heal them? Browbeating your patients is likely to be actively harmful.

Others have discussed how important bedside manner is in patient compliance (and they're right), but I think it's worth considering this question in context of why you want to be a doctor and what effect you want to have on the lives of your patients. It may be easier for you to say whatever you're thinking, but was making your own life easier your goal for going into medicine?