Original Research Prim Care Companion CNS Disord June 2026

The Patient in the Mirror: Understanding the Role of Doctor as Patient Through Media

PCC CNS Disord 2026;28(3):10.4088/PCC.26m04196

Full Article Read the complete peer-reviewed article in Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. PCC CNS Disord 2026;28(3):10.4088/PCC.26m04196 Clinical Summary Doctors become patients too, but professional identity, stoicism, embarrassment, and blurred colleague-to-colleague boundaries can complicate how they seek and receive care. This review gives clinicians a practical framework for recognizing the recurring pitfalls and strengths that emerge when the patient is also a physician. FAQ What themes did this review identify when doctors become patients? 9 questions
Key Takeaways This review identifies 6 recurring physician-patient dynamics—shame and embarrassment, interference in one’s own care, difficulty relinquishing control, fear of burdening colleagues, reliance on curbside consultations, and health literacy as a strength—which can be used as a practical framework when treating clinician-patients. 6 takeaways Clinical Guide How should clinicians respond when a physician-patient seeks informal curbside advice instead of formal care? 4 steps Clinical Guide How can clinicians care for physician-patients while balancing their medical knowledge with the need for clear treatment boundaries? 5 steps
Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc. (PPP) makes no warranties about the accuracy or completeness of any information published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry or other PPP materials, and disclaims liability for any use or non-use of that information. Clinicians should not rely solely on these materials and should exercise their own professional judgment when making patient care decisions on an individualized basis.

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