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The media is a powerful force that can be informative and entertaining but also frightening and misleading. Dr. Tara wants you to know why she became a media doc and why she thinks it is so important for media doctors to practice with care.
A Media Doctor Need Not Be Irresponsible
A viewpoint from Dr. Tara Fields
Good ratings may not be everything, but they are the only thing that keeps a media doctor on the air. And so, when I'm asked whether I have to strive to be entertaining, my answer is: of course I do. But that doesn't mean that I don't strive to be genuinely helpful, informative and highly ethical.
In fact, it is my view that the most successful media doctors are the ones who are most dedicated to doing their homework. I'm often called on to interpret breaking news stories, usually tragic ones, and tell people how to make sense of it all. I always use language that everyone will understand. I try to show people how best to deal with these tragic events in the news.
On my own call-in program, I frequently field calls from listeners who have a wide variety of difficulties. I try to be as considerate as I can be without being confrontational. Sometimes this means pushing people, and sometimes it means being supportive.
I think this is especially important in our age of managed care, when therapy is essentially thought of as a luxury, and people are actually discouraged from seeking help. Women in particular are often afraid to ask questions of their doctors, since they've been given a message - either directly or indirectly - that their illnesses are often imagined.
So many men and women sit at home and think they are alone with their problem. But the message of comfort that I offer so many times is first of all, your problem is quite common, and second, it can be treated. That, I think is helpful to both the caller and the audience.
Of course, there are unqualified and underqualified physicians in the media, just as there are in hospitals and offices; and there are media doctors who allow their own political agendas to take precedence over doing the right thing. But there are also many media doctors who do strive to be educational and who wouldn't hesitate to refer a caller to another doctor if deemed appropriate. For instance, one of the most common questions I get is about loss of libido. Before I even address the emotional or psychological reasons for this, I first ask whether the caller is on any medication, such as the popular antidepressant, Zoloft. I ask when they've had their last physical and discuss whether they should see an M.D. Then, we start talking about what could be going on emotionally.
Alongside my desire to be entertaining, my main goal is to help callers get out of their ruts and let them know there is help. I also let them know how they can find affordable therapy. Above all, I hope I'm able to convey to my listeners the sense that they deserve to be helped.