A woman’s experience at the doctor’s office had her leaving in tears, asking TikTokers what she should do next.
TikToker @omgletsbuyshoes11 shared a harrowing experience of her latest trip to the doctor’s office. Her clip, which was posted on April 19, has earned 1.5 million views as of April 27. In it, she delineates how exactly a routine trip to get her prescription filled ended with her being shamed.
What happened at the doctor’s office?
In her video, @omgletsbuyshoes11 says she went to her regular doctor’s office to get a prescription filled for antidepressants. Her usual doctor was not in, so @omgletsbuyshoes11 says another one tended to her.
This unfamiliar doctor read her medical history, which included various difficulties with fertility, like several failed pregnancies. However, what the TikToker did not expect was a question that seemingly had nothing to do with her medical trauma.
“At one point, she asks me if I’m religious,” @omgletsbuyshoes11 says. “I tell her no, not really. Just never really vibed with religion.”
The TikToker says she mentioned to the doctor how she didn’t really care for religion.
Apparently, the doctor had heard enough to deduce her own diagnosis.
“She told me that I’m not getting pregnant because I’m not religious and I don’t believe in God,” the Tiktoker says. “She also said that–a medical doctor–said that evolution is fake. And that if evolution was real, apes wouldn’t exist.”
The doctor allegedly also told her she didn’t need antidepressants or therapy if only she denounced Satan. Needless to say, the creator left the office in disbelief.
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via Instagram direct message.
Viewers were flabbergasted
TikTok viewers came together to blast the doctor’s actions, urging the TikToker to report the medical professional immediately.
“I would report them to the medical ethics board,” one advised. “Because this is completely unacceptable. They don’t need to force their beliefs onto the patients.”
Another added, “Coming from a nurse with 25 years experience 100% immediately report her to the medical board! Next make and appointment and speak to your usual Dr and let them know what occurred. They need to be aware.”
One user who said they were Catholic still urged the TikToker to file a report. “I’m Catholic. BUT you MUST turn this woman in to the state licensing board and the AMA. What she did to you was entirely wrong. I’m so sorry this happened to you,” they wrote.
@omgletsbuyshoes11 Does anyone have any advice. But I also thought that religious people aren’t judgmental?
♬ original sound – omgletsbuyshoes
When should you report a doctor?
Whenever doctors complete their education, they take the Hippocratic Oath. The oath, which was written in the 5th Century B.C., holds doctors accountable on the basis that they give unbiased and ethical care.
Furthermore, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), their Code of Ethics states that “physicians who offer their services to the public may not decline to accept patients because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis that would constitute invidious discrimination.”
Based on the accusation the doctor placed on @omgletsbuyshoes11, it appears it may constitute as discrimination.
So can the TikToker report her?
In short answer, it seems she likely can because:
- It was a religious judgment unrelated to medical facts
- Potential bias that could affect care decisions
- A breach of professionalism, even if care wasn’t denied
However, since the creator did not post a follow-up video since then, it is unclear whether she decided to report the doctor to her state medical board.
How can you report a doctor?
If you believe you have been treated unfairly by a medical professional, you can consult the directory of the state medical boards. Go to the Federation of State Medical Boards’ website and scroll down until you find your state. Click the “file a complaint” button, and it’ll take you to a website where you can fill out and submit a form.
Update 9:89am CT, April 28:
In an Instagram message to the Daily Dot, Cortney says she has not reported the doctor as yet. She shares how she is waiting to speak with her primary care doctor first, who she says treats her “amazing.”
“I’m trying to figure out if the doctor’s office and my personal doctor will face any ramifications for the temporary doctor’s actions,” she explains.
Cortney, who works in healthcare, says she knows how they punish the “whole rather than the problem.”
The TikToker says nothing like this has happened to her before.
“I might not be religious, but my aunt is very religious. She’s never been judgmental to anyone I know,” Cortney emphasizes. “She is also one of the (and I cannot stress this enough) nicest people I know. She has been one of my biggest supporters of my IVF journey.”
As for whether this experience changes her view of those in the medical field, Cortney assures that it did not.
“I’ve had so many positive experiences with all healthcare professionals that I would never let something like this affect my view on the field as a whole,” she writes. “Like I said in previous statements, you can’t blame one person for another’s mistakes. That’s just not fair.”
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