Getting Older, Getting Wiser?
Hello FPA and happy April! This month I want to share a few thoughts with you about aging. If you're one of my patients, you've seen my face and probably noticed I'm one of our younger providers. I've noticed that different age groups respond differently to perception of my age. I used to be self-conscious about working as a provider with a face as young as mine. I was only 23 when I finished my graduate studies and became a licensed professional. I wanted to be taken seriously, I didn't want patients to judge me based on my youth or make assumptions that I wouldn't be able to provide good care because I was young. I wanted the opportunity to earn the trust and confidence of my patients, and I feared I wouldn't get that opportunity based on bias or assumption. I wanted to look older and be perceived as older so I wouldn't be dismissed. That was 8 years ago, and now that I've been in healthcare for awhile I've learned some things. Here’s the thing...