All participants from the 2015 Wear the White
Coat Program.
WHAT’S UP, DOC?
REFLECTIONS ON PHYSICIAN PERCEPTION AMONG MILLENNIALS
Jeremy Linneman
MY DAY AS A DOCTOR
In the parking garage elevator at Jewish Hospital in downtown
Louisville, I stood in my white coat and made small talk with an
elderly couple. After they joked with me about my height—I was a
good foot and a half taller than both of them—the husband made a
startling and genuine statement of praise. He said, “You have chosen
a wonderful profession. Your parents must be so proud.” I smiled
and thanked them both. (I didn’t have the heart to tell them I wasn’t
a doctor; after all, I was soaking up the experience.)
But as I spent the rest of my day in the operating room and around
the hospital campus, and as I shared my experiences with others and
gauged their perceptions, I noticed how differently people reacted
to me—or didn’t react.
The generational differences were the most startling. The Traditionalists (ages 70 and up) smiled with reverence and revealed
their deep sense of appreciation for physicians. The Baby Boomers
(ages 51-70) had a more tame sense of respect, and the Generation
X-ers (ages 35-51) were too busy to notice or comment much. But
the Millennial (ages 15-35) response was particularly noteworthy:
There was a sense of annoyance, disrespect, and skepticism toward
the leaders and practitioners of the medical community.
Admittedly, I am