The relationship students have with their doctors could be one of the most important relationships they foster.
Doctors have to find a happy medium when dealing with their patients. Being stern with their patients could lead to uncomfortable situations.
Sarah Dansak, senior in childhood education, said her relationship with her doctor is great.
"He (the doctor) listens to me and seems to take my input into consideration, which makes him different from some of the other doctors I've seen, but then again, he may have just mastered the required social skills that so many doctors are lacking," Dansak said. "But either way, it convinces me. So it's a positive thing."
Dr. Shannon Cason of AU Medical Clinic said the most important thing to realize is health care is a partnership and both doctor and patient need to be on the same page about everything in order to establish a good and effective relationship.
"For so long, the doctor told the student what to do and they did it," Cason said. "Nowadays, it's better to look at it as a partnership. Certainly, we would expect me to have some knowledge and expertise to give. We have to adjust things to the student's schedule and lifestyle."
Cason sees approximately 25 patients per day, mostly students, and said he has had a big influx of patients since the swine flu outbreak in September.
Emergency Room doctors aren't able to establish a strong relationship with their patients and that's why Cason said it varies from specialty to specialty.
"It's a very casual relationship," Dansak said. "He's been my doctor for most of my family for as long as we've been in town. He's very personal and seems to be genuinely concerned with what's going on."
When a patient and doctor aren't seeing eye-to-eye, Cason said one option would be to see another doctor, but also discussing it would probably fix relations.
"Tell them that you're not communicating well," Cason said. "I don't know if someone doesn't tell me, I may assume things are fine. Sometimes it's just as simple as a communication error and they could and be cleared easy."
Lee Bradshaw, senior in human development and family studies, sometimes visits Auburn Urgent Care and said, although students aren't able to develop a close relationship with the doctors, he believes it's still important to do so.
"With Urgent Care, students go in for treatment and leave without really getting to know the doctors," Bradshaw said. "The doctors see so many people per day and no one really talks to them. I think it's important to establish that relationship because they are more than just a cure and some people forget that."
Taking a few extra minutes to listen to a patient can pay off.
"I think the most important thing is to listen to what your patients tell you," Cason said. "It doesn't take a whole lot of effort. If you want to know what's wrong with a patient listen for a minute and they'll tell you."
Cason said in order to establish a good relationship with his patients, he asks everyone about their hometown because a lot of the time it's a place he's familiar with and he is more likely to establish a good connection.
One advantage of doctors establishing a healthy relationship with their patients is that if something goes wrong, the patient is less likely to sue, Cason said.
"There's something therapeutic about a good doctor-patient relationship," Cason said, "and no one knows how it works, but establishing a good relationship with your patient will help you do better."
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