Like many moms I know, I spend hours on the internet reading reviews and researching products I wish to purchase. I hate spending money only to own a product that is of poor quality or does not provide the function(s) I desire. Just as I am thorough with my monetary purchases, I think it is wise to be thorough with our medical professionals, especially since we pay them to treat and evaluate our most precious possessions!! Whatever your philosophy about health and wellness, at some point most children will likely need a doctor of some type. Whether a pediatrician, chiropractor, or a cardiologist, it’s important that you are comfortable with them treating your child.

Doctors are no stranger to our family, as my eldest son has seen various doctors in a total of 19 different specialty fields. One might say I have a bit of experience interacting with doctors. Being exposed to so many doctors has helped solidify my criteria for a good doctor. I hope the following criteria helps you evaluate whether a particular doctor is a good fit for your family.

1. Knowledgeable/Skilled

Probably the first thing most people mention when referring to a good doctor is knowledge and skill and for good reason! We take our children to a physician with the intent of optimizing their health and well-being, so naturally we want a professional who is educated and capable. Some questions to ask about a doctor’s knowledge and skills:

• Do they have a reputation for being good or an expert in their field?
• Are they up to date on the latest medical research in their field?
• Do they have good instincts on how to best treat patients?

2. Humble

Humility is another important hallmark of a good doctor. A good doctor will know when they are in over their head. There is a reason there are so many specialties because there is a lot to know about the human body. A good doctor will know when more expertise is needed and refer you on. Also, a humble doctor is secure enough to graciously allow or even encourage second opinions. Two doctors can look at the same analysis and come up with two different diagnosis or the same diagnosis and two different treatments. I have sought second and even third opinions for my son, just to make sure I have the best evaluation possible of the medical evidence. A humble doctor will not feel threatened by second opinion because they ultimately want what is best for the patient. Another set of eyes is never a bad idea, especially when you are dealing with critical medical treatments.

3. Flexible

A good doctor offers patients flexibility. Flexibility is especially important when your child has more than one regular doctor at more than one care facility. A flexible doctor will do everything in their power to work in cooperation with their patient’s various doctors and hospitals. In addition, No two patients will have the exact same symptoms to an illness or aliment, just as no two patients will respond exactly the same to a certain treatment. Therefore, a flexible doctor should be willing to try new and different treatment options.

4. Supportive

Supportive doesn’t mean seeing eye to eye on everything. However, a supportive doctor will honor your decisions as a caring and informed parent. A supportive doctor is also readily available for patients when needed. Furthermore, a supportive doctor doesn’t deny reality, but also encourages hope for the best possible outcome in a situation. We permanently left a doctors’ practice after he informed us that our son would never do A, B, or C. When I asked why, he had no solid evidence, but just referred to it as a “hunch”. I had no desire to stay with a doctor that had already decided how my son was going to turn out based on a “hunch”.

5. Relatable

I have met a number of doctors who are very intelligent, but have no idea how to communicate with their patients. Being relatable goes a long way with patients. Things always go better when a patient or caregiver actually understands what is going on medically.  A good doctor can understand complicated medical situations and then subsequently relate them to patients in an understandable manner.

6. Listens to Mama

Any good doctor, who treats children, knows you always listen to mom. A good mom can often tell you just as much as a medical report and I’m not joking! I diagnosed my son with one of his major diagnoses months before any doctor believed me. I had to fight to find a doctor that would listen to me and then help find the right course of treatment. This treatment literally saved his life. Some doctors are quick to dismiss moms as “paranoid” or “inexperienced first time” moms. But more often than not there is something to a mother’s assessment. At the very least moms deserve to be heard and their words weighed seriously.

Perfect doctors just don’t exist, but there are some pretty good ones out there. I’m not sure that I have met a doctor that meets each one of my criteria 100%. Ultimately, I ask myself do the positives of this physician outweigh the negatives? Are the services from this doctor worth tolerating their shortcomings? I hope this list helps you consider whether a certain doctor is suitable for your family’s needs.

I would love to hear what characteristics make a good doctor to you?