[I am a doctor, so I am in control]

Abstract

Introduction: A number of researchers and physicians have described that physicians often have difficulties and great resistance towards seeing themselves as patients. General practitioners (GPs) who are self-employed in their own small firms and who are registered in their own practice have special problems in connection with illness.

Material and methods: The project "The physician as patient" consisted of a questionnaire study of 198 GPs, followed by semistructured interviews of 28 GPs, who had been seriously ill or had been treated in hospital. The interviews were taped and word processed. The analysis of the interviews was inspired by Malterud's qualitative method.

Results: One of the 28 interviews (Marianne) is described i two main sections: confrontation with illness, and enhanced self knowledge.

Discussion: The discussion is divided into four sections: the GP's role as helper and feeling of omnipotence. The validity and transfer ability of the results of the study. The ill doctor's reluctance towards being a patient and the treating doctor's uncertainty towards treating a colleague.