ENTtoday
  • Home
  • COVID-19
  • Practice Focus
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Departments
    • Issue Archive
    • TRIO Best Practices
      • Allergy
      • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
      • Head and Neck
      • Laryngology
      • Otology/Neurotology
      • Pediatric
      • Rhinology
      • Sleep Medicine
    • Career Development
    • Case of the Month
    • Everyday Ethics
    • Health Policy
    • Legal Matters
    • Letter From the Editor
    • Medical Education
    • Online Exclusives
    • Practice Management
    • Resident Focus
    • Rx: Wellness
    • Special Reports
    • Tech Talk
    • Viewpoint
    • What’s Your O.R. Playlist?
  • Literature Reviews
    • Allergy
    • Facial Plastic/Reconstructive
    • Head and Neck
    • Laryngology
    • Otology/Neurotology
    • Pediatric
    • Rhinology
    • Sleep Medicine
  • Events
    • Featured Events
    • TRIO Meetings
  • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Triological Society
    • Advertising Staff
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • Place an Ad
    • Classifieds
    • Rate Card
  • Search

Advice on When and How Physicians Can Speak Out If Their Opinions Differ from Their Employer

by Linda Kossoff • September 16, 2022

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version

In July 2022, a white-coat ceremony at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor made national headlines after a group of incoming medical students interrupted the proceedings with a staged walkout to protest the event’s keynote speaker, a professor at the university who had expressed pro-life views in various social media posts and interviews.

You Might Also Like

No related posts.

Explore This Issue
September 2022

In their pre-event petition, the students had stated that, among other beliefs, the speaker “…supports the non-universal, theology-rooted platform to restrict abortion access, an essential part of medical care.” The university subsequently issued a statement through its public relations department indicating that it “does not revoke an invitation to a speaker based on their personal belief.”

The incident underscored an existing debate that seems to pit the right to freedom of speech against the Hippocratic oath, as physicians grapple with the question of when and how to take a stand on issues about which they feel strongly. Fueling matters is today’s polarized political climate and a growing sense of tribal-like distrust between groups who see things differently. Meanwhile, the prevalence of social media as a communication tool means that it has never been easier for anyone and everyone to broadcast their opinion. As a physician, where should your boundaries lie? When is speaking out a moral imperative? And what are the potential personal, professional, and legal consequences of taking a stand?

Entering the Arena

The definition of “political” has changed dramatically over the past few decades. “The term ‘political statement’ was popularized in the 1960s to refer to any act or nonverbal form of communication intended to influence decisions to be made for or by a political party,” said Julie Wei, MD, a pediatric otolaryngologist and current president of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). “Examples would be participating in a mass demonstration or wearing some visible sign. We would also attribute the term to a political officeholder who chooses to make a statement related to real-time politics, policies, and debate.” Now, however, the public has come to think of the term “political statement” as anyone’s widely shared topical opinion that seems to align with one school of thought versus another.

Meanwhile, added Dr. Wei, the concept of “health” has expanded as society takes a broader view of the factors that influence and affect human well-being, encompassing a person’s mental, physical, and emotional condition, as well as the social determinants of health. “It’s recognized that 80% of children’s health is influenced by housing conditions, food security, educational environment, exposure to domestic violence, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, bullying, and more. It’s all health related,” she said.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 | Single Page

Filed Under: Features, Home Slider Tagged With: career development, EthicsIssue: September 2022

You Might Also Like:

The Triological SocietyENTtoday is a publication of The Triological Society.

The Laryngoscope
Ensure you have all the latest research at your fingertips; Subscribe to The Laryngoscope today!

Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology
Open access journal in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery is currently accepting submissions.

Classifieds

View the classified ads »

TRIO Best Practices

View the TRIO Best Practices »

Top Articles for Residents

  • Do Training Programs Give Otolaryngology Residents the Necessary Tools to Do Productive Research?
  • Why More MDs, Medical Residents Are Choosing to Pursue Additional Academic Degrees
  • What Physicians Need to Know about Investing Before Hiring a Financial Advisor
  • Tips to Help You Regain Your Sense of Self
  • Should USMLE Step 1 Change from Numeric Score to Pass/Fail?
  • Popular this Week
  • Most Popular
  • Most Recent
    • What Happens to Medical Students Who Don’t Match?
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • Why We Get Colds
    • Some Challenges Remain to Having a Universal Resident Leave Policy, But Otolaryngology Programs Are Getting Closer
    • Rating Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Severity: How Do Two Common Instruments Compare?
    • The Dramatic Rise in Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Treatment
    • What Happens to Medical Students Who Don’t Match?
    • Rating Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Severity: How Do Two Common Instruments Compare?
    • Vertigo in the Elderly: What Does It Mean?
    • Neurogenic Cough Is Often a Diagnosis of Exclusion
    • Why We Get Colds
    • Are the Jobs in Healthcare Good Jobs?
    • What Really Works in Functional Rhinoplasty?
    • Is the Best Modality to Assess Vocal Fold Mobility in Children Flexible Fiberoptic Laryngoscopy or Ultrasound?
    • Three Primary Treatment Strategies Show No Differences in Swallow Outcome for Patients with Low- to Intermediate-Risk Tonsil Cancer

Polls

Do you have physician assistants in your otolaryngology practice?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...
  • Polls Archive
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Preferences

Visit: The Triological Society • The Laryngoscope • Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology

Wiley
© 2023 The Triological Society. All Rights Reserved.
ISSN 1559-4939