Can good professional judgment include self-prescription?
Of course not all self-prescribing includes drugs that might be dangerous, for instance beta-blockers for stage fright or antibiotics for a suspected ear infection. But self-prescribing that delays proper diagnosis and treatment of illness, or that involves taking inappropriate drugs or dosages raises serious ethical and safety concerns. Residents should be encouraged to seek appropriate health care, when feasible, and at least to discuss health issues with their colleagues to obtain some objective feedback. No man (or woman) is an island, in spite of how residents are often expected to perform. Issues of self-prescription ought to be discussed in residency programs and its more dangerous aspects discouraged. Learning good professional judgment is part of residency training, and it is important to ask whether self-prescription and professional judgment can coexist.
