J. Offir, PhD
@joffirphd.bsky.social
Ph.D. in social psychology. Former researcher in pandemic behavioral risk reduction (non-pharma intervention). Only here to keep up. @[email protected]
Give her a call and tell her staff you want Massachusetts to participate! She's at 617-725-4005.
February 11, 2026 at 5:38 AM
Give her a call and tell her staff you want Massachusetts to participate! She's at 617-725-4005.
Yeah, after I posted, I wondered if I'd missed one - thank you!
February 11, 2026 at 3:47 AM
Yeah, after I posted, I wondered if I'd missed one - thank you!
Financial and reputational.
February 11, 2026 at 2:40 AM
Financial and reputational.
We're certainly stressing out US manufacturers. But note that anything developed & made elsewhere would still need FDA approval to be offered in the US. (Sometimes, the gov. doesn't enforce the law when pts. import only a small amount of an Rx'ed drug for personal use, but that doesn't apply, here.)
February 11, 2026 at 12:42 AM
We're certainly stressing out US manufacturers. But note that anything developed & made elsewhere would still need FDA approval to be offered in the US. (Sometimes, the gov. doesn't enforce the law when pts. import only a small amount of an Rx'ed drug for personal use, but that doesn't apply, here.)
not fine to wield professional credentials as a cudgel to subdue & dominate the masses. (Btw, at my undergrad alma mater, professors were called Mr. & Ms., not Dr; no one exploded.)
Get a grip, guys. We know you graduated med school. But we'd like you to remember you're providing a service - to us.
Get a grip, guys. We know you graduated med school. But we'd like you to remember you're providing a service - to us.
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
not fine to wield professional credentials as a cudgel to subdue & dominate the masses. (Btw, at my undergrad alma mater, professors were called Mr. & Ms., not Dr; no one exploded.)
Get a grip, guys. We know you graduated med school. But we'd like you to remember you're providing a service - to us.
Get a grip, guys. We know you graduated med school. But we'd like you to remember you're providing a service - to us.
world renowned brain surgeon Peter Black, whose whole office used the honorific in speaking to me; he was a great guy who didn't need to bury insecurities in honorific exclusivity, b/c he actually *was* the best).
It's fine when MDs don't refer to me this way (PhDs are only Drs. at work), but it's
It's fine when MDs don't refer to me this way (PhDs are only Drs. at work), but it's
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
world renowned brain surgeon Peter Black, whose whole office used the honorific in speaking to me; he was a great guy who didn't need to bury insecurities in honorific exclusivity, b/c he actually *was* the best).
It's fine when MDs don't refer to me this way (PhDs are only Drs. at work), but it's
It's fine when MDs don't refer to me this way (PhDs are only Drs. at work), but it's
*patient* getting that service (not the advanced training of the person providing it; congrats - you have a fancy post-graduate diploma; so do I). I like it that way.
In my long experience interacting with HCWs, I've had a grand total of 2 who referred to *me* as "Doctor Offir." (One was the
In my long experience interacting with HCWs, I've had a grand total of 2 who referred to *me* as "Doctor Offir." (One was the
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
*patient* getting that service (not the advanced training of the person providing it; congrats - you have a fancy post-graduate diploma; so do I). I like it that way.
In my long experience interacting with HCWs, I've had a grand total of 2 who referred to *me* as "Doctor Offir." (One was the
In my long experience interacting with HCWs, I've had a grand total of 2 who referred to *me* as "Doctor Offir." (One was the
still hear nurses or MAs refer to an MD in the 3rd person as simply "Doctor," it tells me something bad about that practice's culture.
"Provider," OTOH, reminds us that healthcare providers, whomever they may be, are providing us with a paid service: it centers that service, & it centers the...
"Provider," OTOH, reminds us that healthcare providers, whomever they may be, are providing us with a paid service: it centers that service, & it centers the...
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
still hear nurses or MAs refer to an MD in the 3rd person as simply "Doctor," it tells me something bad about that practice's culture.
"Provider," OTOH, reminds us that healthcare providers, whomever they may be, are providing us with a paid service: it centers that service, & it centers the...
"Provider," OTOH, reminds us that healthcare providers, whomever they may be, are providing us with a paid service: it centers that service, & it centers the...
titles; they'd simply say things like "Doctor will return your call tonight," or "Doctor says to take your pills at 7." That divorcement of the person from his (usually it was a man's) position of power over his patients wasn't a good thing (Doctor says to! Doctor is God!), & when I occasionally...
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
titles; they'd simply say things like "Doctor will return your call tonight," or "Doctor says to take your pills at 7." That divorcement of the person from his (usually it was a man's) position of power over his patients wasn't a good thing (Doctor says to! Doctor is God!), & when I occasionally...
patient & provider. That partnership didn't even exist until recently, & returning to a new emphasis on physicians' power & supremacy in healthcare settings would undermine it.
Back in the day, medical offices & hospitals often didn't even attach doctors' last names (or the article "the") to their
Back in the day, medical offices & hospitals often didn't even attach doctors' last names (or the article "the") to their
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
patient & provider. That partnership didn't even exist until recently, & returning to a new emphasis on physicians' power & supremacy in healthcare settings would undermine it.
Back in the day, medical offices & hospitals often didn't even attach doctors' last names (or the article "the") to their
Back in the day, medical offices & hospitals often didn't even attach doctors' last names (or the article "the") to their
same. But OTOH, we've needed some egalitarianism injected into this arena for a long time. (Many folks are no longer treated by MDs anyway, & if the Trump regime gets its way, they won't even be treated by humans.) And even more important, we need our newly won emphasis on the equal partnership b/t
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
same. But OTOH, we've needed some egalitarianism injected into this arena for a long time. (Many folks are no longer treated by MDs anyway, & if the Trump regime gets its way, they won't even be treated by humans.) And even more important, we need our newly won emphasis on the equal partnership b/t
members, or their trainees."
But this sounds like simple jockeying for (symbolic) position. Yes, using the term "health care provider" to refer to PAs, RNs, APRNs, DOs & MDs alike is rather egalitarian, even though these positions (in education, skills, & financial compensation) are indeed not the
But this sounds like simple jockeying for (symbolic) position. Yes, using the term "health care provider" to refer to PAs, RNs, APRNs, DOs & MDs alike is rather egalitarian, even though these positions (in education, skills, & financial compensation) are indeed not the
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
members, or their trainees."
But this sounds like simple jockeying for (symbolic) position. Yes, using the term "health care provider" to refer to PAs, RNs, APRNs, DOs & MDs alike is rather egalitarian, even though these positions (in education, skills, & financial compensation) are indeed not the
But this sounds like simple jockeying for (symbolic) position. Yes, using the term "health care provider" to refer to PAs, RNs, APRNs, DOs & MDs alike is rather egalitarian, even though these positions (in education, skills, & financial compensation) are indeed not the
They then conclude that the term "undermines the physician’s ethical obligations, clinical integrity, and accountability, as well as trust in the patient–physician relationship," saying it "should not be used to describe physicians, nor should physicians use it to describe themselves, their team...
February 10, 2026 at 9:10 PM
They then conclude that the term "undermines the physician’s ethical obligations, clinical integrity, and accountability, as well as trust in the patient–physician relationship," saying it "should not be used to describe physicians, nor should physicians use it to describe themselves, their team...