The advice of a doctor

The article I read this week was written by a doctor, Peter A. Ubel. In this article he discusses the role of the doctor in the decision making of their patients. "Medical decisions these days are increasingly recognized as being more than simply medical, with the right choice depending in part on the patient's preferences...According to this new paradigm of preference-sensitive decision-making, doctors like me shouldn't tell patients what to do, but rather should educate our patients about the risks and benefits of their options." He goes on to describe an instance in which he disregarded his role as unbiased educator and gave his own personal advice, telling a patient with cancer that he should keep smoking because the cancer is incurable and it will help with the stress. Also, explaining to the patient and his wife that being with each other and the rest of their family is the most important thing for him. 

I believe it is important for a doctor to play the role of educator and let the patient decide. There are so many options available these days that it would difficult for a doctor to determine exactly what works best for each individual. It would be a heavy burden on the doctor if they picked the one that ended up having terrible effects, so it is best to let the patient weigh out there options. I also feel that a doctor can and should step out of this role and offer advice every once in a while. When people have diagnoses that are hard to deal with sometimes a doctor has to be that mediating guide, instead of a medical dictionary. The hard part is knowing when it is right to do so.