How Doctors Die

An article on "How Doctors Die" by Ken Murray, a family medicine doctor at USC, has been circulating the Internet. It's a fascinating read because I do think there's a dichotomy between how doctors and non-doctors view their deaths. A lot is written about the medicalized end-of-life, the dramatized ICU bed with tubes out of every orifice, no dignity, aggressive care that spirals into suffering, a drawn-out dehumanization with no end. And a lot is written about the so-called ideal death, surrounded by friends and family in one's own home, medications to ease any pain or suffering, and a quick end. Put that way, it's easy to choose.

But this article argues that patients overwhelmingly choose the first while physicians choose the second. Why is this? Is it a failure to communicate a faithful image of the end-of-life? Is it that we've seen what happens and understand the nuances of "do everything possible to keep him alive?" Is it that we think about death and dying far more than the average person? Is it that we view death as a natural part of our existence whereas others view medicine's abilities as limitless? Is it that we understand probabilities of survival given certain circumstances? Is it that we're more willing to give up on ourselves?

We can't impose our feelings on anyone else; if someone understands what happens with CPR, emergency surgery, the ICU, and dying in those situations, then I won't argue otherwise if that's what he chooses. But I can say clearly that even though I might become an intensive care doctor, there are very few situations in which I'd like to become an intensive care patient.