Why do doctors treat patients like idiots? Most doctors talk down to their patients. They take the approach that patients are not going to be able to understand anything they say - after all, even though they are so smart, it took them 10 years to master the intricacies of medicine, so how can they be expected to explain even the basics in a 10-minute consultation? Many get upset when patients bring printouts from Dr Google because they feel that this is challenging their authority.

They believe that patients should allow doctors to make all the medical decisions - after all, aren't they the experts? Doctors need to respect the fact that patients are intelligent, and want to learn more about their medical problems - after all, it's their health which is at stake! They should share as much information as possible with their patients, and the best way of doing this is through their…