Animals Quote by Alice Dreger
“Doctors are human animals. They want to be loved, they are tribal, they instinctually favor stories over scientific evidence, they make mistakes, and even small gifts make them susceptible to being biased. If we took doctors seriously as human animals, we might hurt them - and they might hurt us - a lot less.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Human Side of Medicine, 2019
Doctors are influenced by emotions and social instincts, which can bias their judgments despite scientific training.
In simple terms: Doctors are human and can be biased.
Recognize and mitigate human biases in healthcare.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- clinical decision making
- patient communication
- medical education
- policy development
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards can reduce bias in medical practice?
- How can patients help doctors stay objective?
Bias mitigation requires systemic changes beyond individual awareness.