Gift-Giving in the Podiatric Medical Student-Patient Relationship

J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2016 Sep 2;106(5):361-363. doi: 10.7547/14-160.

Abstract

We sought to explore the relationship between the podiatric medical student and the patient as it relates to the act of gift-giving as a sign of gratefulness for the services provided. This article presents the clinical case of a man who visited a podiatric medical student because of pain in his feet and subsequently presented the student with several gifts. Philanthropy, empathy, a positive attitude, treatment instructions, and the time devoted to the patient are some of the reasons why patients offer gifts to podiatric medical students. The relationship between the podiatric medical student and the patient and the act of gift-giving by patients are of ethical concern.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Attitude of Health Personnel
  • Clinical Clerkship / ethics
  • Empathy
  • Gift Giving / ethics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Satisfaction
  • Physician-Patient Relations / ethics*
  • Podiatry / education
  • Students, Medical*