The patient's privacity, modesty and medical training

Abstract

Being admitted to a teaching hospital as a patient implies undergoing certain inconveniences particular to institutions of that type. Nevertheless, as teachers and healthcare professionals, we must not forget that, valuable as the patient-student relationship may be in medical training, the patient’s well being is the prime objective of any action on the part of a physician-teacher. In this sense, the patient’s privacy is one aspect that is sometimes violated. Medicine probably will continue to be taught largely as it has been up to now, but it is important to be aware of certain risks and to take a vigilant attitude towards protecting the patient’s privacy. The article suggests some specific measures.