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Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine logoLink to Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
. 1997 Sep;90(9):491–495. doi: 10.1177/014107689709000907

Illness doesn't belong to us.

C McKevitt 1, M Morgan 1
PMCID: PMC1296526  PMID: 9370984

Abstract

There has been little research in Britain into the experiences of doctors who are ill. We conducted in-depth interviews with 64 doctors of all grades with a recent illness lasting one month or more. Whether the illness was physical or psychiatric, many expressed the idea that illness is inappropriate for doctors. This idea is a cultural value among doctors which is reinforced by the organization of medical work. It discourages doctors from seeking and obtaining appropriate help when they are ill.

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Selected References

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