# Female oncologist in burqa

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-oncologist-in-burqa/796992>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 22, 2017, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-oncologist-in-burqa/796992 "2017-09-22T18:50:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-oncologist-in-burqa/796992/61 "2017-09-27T18:21:42Z")

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> [@PatrickLondon](#):
>
> I’m not sure what I distrust more, the whole “a friend of a friend said it happened”, or the assumption that it’s beyond the wit of even the most anxious patient to say “I’m sorry, I can’t quite make out what you’re saying behind your burqa/surgical mask”, or the implication that there are doctors of any kind, and particularly specialist oncologists, who are so untrained in bedside manner as not to try to put a patient at ease, ask if it’s all right to talk in a particular way, or even, especially in the case of cancer, to offer the opportunity to have a recording of what’s said, which is not uncommon practice.

Whoa. No need to bring TRUST into it. I repeated a story I heard. I wasn’t there. You weren’t there. I don’t know who said what to whom. Neither do you. I extrapolated my question, “would it bother you if you couldn’t see your doctor’s face?” from that sketchy anecdote.

> [@astorian](#):
>
> In and of itself, seeing a doctor in a hijab would not scare me or turn me off, if I were assured by the referring doctor that she was good at her job. Sure, I’d be a bit surprised to see that, just as I’d be surprised to learn that my doctor was a Lubavitcher or a turban-wearing Sikh. But again, if my doctor told me “Dr. Cohen/Singh/Abdul” is the best in the field," I’d take his word for it.
> 
> That said, a Lubavitcher OR Sikh OR Islamic doctor who wears unusual garb should KNOW that his/her garb will startle some people, and should develop the people skills to put patients at ease. A sense of humor goes a long way, in that regard.

A hijab shows the face. So not a problem IMHO.

As for religious garb, or clothing _not like that worn by regular folks walking around in the street today:_ Not so long ago entire hospital systems were run and staffed by nuns who wore clearly identifiable religious garb that made them stand out in today’s world, but which, ironically, was often chosen at the time their orders were founded in centuries past, to make them blend in with other womenfolk. Often a nun’s habit was the common garb of a widow of that time and place. The idea was NOT to stand out, but as the centuries wore on, well… they really stood out, which is why many switched to white blouses and skirts from Wal-Mart, so as to blend in better.

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