At the Centre of Regenerative Medicine in Edinburgh I happened to come across this little instalment by the artist AND scientist Hamer Dodds. Entitled "breaking down the barriers between the stereotypic white coated scientist and non specialist" .
Hamer Dodds - "breaking down the barriers between the steretypic white coated scientist and non specialist"
Usually when people refer to the "White coat" effect they're talking about the barrier generated between patients and doctors during or prior clinical examination. The patients negative preconceptions of what visiting their doctor may be like, or may involve can cause the patient to resist visiting at all! Even in spite of clear symptoms and discomfort. Furthermore it is also thought to have an effect on certain components of the clinical examination, such as blood pressure (BP) results. If the patient succumbs to the "white coat effect" such physiological factors in the presence of their doctor or within a clinical setting will generate unreliable results.
Other common references to the white coat have been noted in the field of psychology in studies conducted by researchers such as Miller. Who's experiments (although very unconventional and unethical) uncovered that if a participant were asked to perform a task by a "scientist" dressed in lab coat or a "scientist" dressed as an average Joe, more times than not they would listen to the "white coat!" Even in scenarios in which the participant may be inclined to think their actions may potentially seriously harm another individual!! The coat fooled them more so into believing the scientists opinions were trustworthy. (talk about great power and great responsibility, be careful with what you say guys!)
The effects of the white coat are vast and oddly poignant! However Hammer and Dodds model emphasises that the pesky lab coats can cause problems in other realms of health care. Such as WITHIN the research field itself due to its ability to segregate the "white coated scientist" and "non specialist scientist."
The white coated scientist:
This refers to those within the academic laboratory that conduct research in the aims to uncover things such as new pathways, protein functions and drug targets.
The non specialist scientist:
This refers to those that work within the hospitals and clinics that mainly specialize in performing diagnostic tests such as a chemistry blood panel (CBC) test, haematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis and much more.
Similarly to the manner in which doctors must work in a multi-disciplinary team. Researchers must also remember/ learn to do so also. Uncovering the pathogenesis or drug requirement to beat/manage a disease is just as crucial to the patients health as the diagnostic aspect of laboratory work. One cannot hope to benefit the patient without the other.
As much as it would be a good idea for all laboratory workers to adopt the beautiful Hamer and Dodds Lab-coat, in support of equality. Perhaps money may be better spent in other regions of the Laboratory. This may be a case of reminding those of the nature of the overall field.
Successfully working within a laboratory setting of any nature IS highly team orientated! You cannot expect to conduct all aspects of any laboratory work/ a research project by yourself ! There is always a degree of collaboration that we should try to remember to respect. So instead of seeing your future Lab team as just your PI and team members, see the word on a much larger, broader scale. and add to it all those who have helped realise your research. After all your all (relatively) striving for the same goal.
By
Raliat Dabiri
The effects of the white coat are vast and oddly poignant! However Hammer and Dodds model emphasises that the pesky lab coats can cause problems in other realms of health care. Such as WITHIN the research field itself due to its ability to segregate the "white coated scientist" and "non specialist scientist."
The white coated scientist:
This refers to those within the academic laboratory that conduct research in the aims to uncover things such as new pathways, protein functions and drug targets.
The non specialist scientist:
This refers to those that work within the hospitals and clinics that mainly specialize in performing diagnostic tests such as a chemistry blood panel (CBC) test, haematology, clinical chemistry, urinalysis and much more.
Similarly to the manner in which doctors must work in a multi-disciplinary team. Researchers must also remember/ learn to do so also. Uncovering the pathogenesis or drug requirement to beat/manage a disease is just as crucial to the patients health as the diagnostic aspect of laboratory work. One cannot hope to benefit the patient without the other.
As much as it would be a good idea for all laboratory workers to adopt the beautiful Hamer and Dodds Lab-coat, in support of equality. Perhaps money may be better spent in other regions of the Laboratory. This may be a case of reminding those of the nature of the overall field.
Successfully working within a laboratory setting of any nature IS highly team orientated! You cannot expect to conduct all aspects of any laboratory work/ a research project by yourself ! There is always a degree of collaboration that we should try to remember to respect. So instead of seeing your future Lab team as just your PI and team members, see the word on a much larger, broader scale. and add to it all those who have helped realise your research. After all your all (relatively) striving for the same goal.
By
Raliat Dabiri
References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12488648http://www.hamerdodds.com/biography.shtml
http://www.inordinatefondness.com/index.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12488648http://www.hamerdodds.com/biography.shtml
http://www.inordinatefondness.com/index.html
RSS Feed
