The Medical Gaze

The Medical Gaze is a concept from sociology that describes how healthcare professionals focus on a patient's physical condition and symptoms during diagnosis and treatment. It involves viewing the patient primarily as a set of medical data or body parts, sometimes overlooking their personal experiences or emotional context. This perspective emphasizes scientific objectivity but can lead to a depersonalized view of patients. Understanding the Medical Gaze helps highlight the importance of balancing clinical assessment with empathy and recognizing patients as whole individuals, not just a collection of symptoms.