Why Catholic's can NOT be doctors or pharmacists

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FullOfThought said:
I know!! That’s exactly what I said!! Apparently!

I went to undergrad at a catholic university and my doctor suggested I went on BC due to cramps… I always thought they weren’t allowed! My experience compared to my research seems so conflicting. Looking forward to hearing back from some family anti BC clinics!
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BC pills are allowed to be used for non-contraceptive purposes. There is nothing wrong with the scenario you describe.
 
FullOfThought said:
Like I’ve said repeatedly, there are SOME specialties that don’t prescribe contraception, but getting to be in those positions means that you have to take other jobs that do!! It takes 10 years of residency & fellowship to be a orth surg. I personally would not hold off having a family, homeschooling, huge debt, not seeing my family, to end up with a job that I would not want just to be a MD that didn’t have to prescribe ABC.

Physicians for life said that only working at a private organization as a family doctor can a physician choose not to prescribe contraception! And I won’t get my MD until this is changed and firm.
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You really have no concept of how medical education or the practice of medicine works. This is all flat-out wrong. Not only that, your two paragraphs in this one post completely contradict each other.
 
FullOfThought said:
Like I’ve said repeatedly, there are SOME specialties that don’t prescribe contraception, but getting to be in those positions means that you have to take other jobs that do!! It takes 10 years of residency & fellowship to be a orth surg. I personally would not hold off having a family, homeschooling, huge debt, not seeing my family, to end up with a job that I would not want just to be a MD that didn’t have to prescribe ABC.

Physicians for life said that only working at a private organization as a family doctor can a physician choose not to prescribe contraception! And I won’t get my MD until this is changed and firm.
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FullOfThought,

I am sorry you quit your medical education. This field needs catholic doctors. Also, you can become a doctor and practice medicine without ever prescribing contraception or performing/assisting abortions. I personally know medical doctors that have done that. You can even become a gynecologist and not prescribe contraception. Granted, that path is not easy, but not impossible. Also, there is a number of specialties (radiology comes to mind) where you would never have to worry about that.

I do not know you at all, so what I say next might be completely off base, but my feeling is that there was more to your leaving the medical profession than the abortion/contraception issue, because this reason, by itself, makes no sense to me.
 
FullOfThought said:
Also, you are completely wrong about chiropractors as family physicians. MOST chiropractors are family physicians and they ARE physicians that specialize in neuromusculoskeletal and spinal conditions. They can do minor surgeries, deliver babies, as well as adjustments.
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No, that’s a matter of state law. In my state, chiropractors can do “adjustments”. That’s it. I’d guess that this is the norm in most locations, although I odn’t know.

Physician generally means MD. Here, if a chiropractor claimed to be an MD, he’d be in pretty hot water quickly.
 
bstorm said:
FullOfThought,

I am sorry you quit your medical education. This field needs catholic doctors. Also, you can become a doctor and practice medicine without ever prescribing contraception or performing/assisting abortions. I personally know medical doctors that have done that. You can even become a gynecologist and not prescribe contraception. Granted, that path is not easy, but not impossible. Also, there is a number of specialties (radiology comes to mind) where you would never have to worry about that.

I do not know you at all, so what I say next might be completely off base, but my feeling is that there was more to your leaving the medical profession than the abortion/contraception issue, because this reason, by itself, makes no sense to me.
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I’d have to agree with the thoughts expressed here.

Also, fwiw, a person should be very careful about saying Catholics “cannot be” this or that. That risks creating human made moral laws that do not exist in the eyes of the Church. It’s sometimes noted that Christ did not tell the Roman Centurion he could not be one, for example. To say that a Catholic cannot pursue a course of study to be a doctor is just flat out wrong.

If a person wants to be a chiropractor, be one. Be realistic about what it entails, but don’t easily condemn the medical field in its entirety on a basis that does not hold up in reality.

FWIW, in my locality, back in the 70s when abortion became legal, it was physicians who got it shut down for awhile in our hospital.
 
Yeoman said:
I’d have to agree with the thoughts expressed here.

Also, fwiw, a person should be very careful about saying Catholics “cannot be” this or that. That risks creating human made moral laws that do not exist in the eyes of the Church. It’s sometimes noted that Christ did not tell the Roman Centurion he could not be one, for example. To say that a Catholic cannot pursue a course of study to be a doctor is just flat out wrong.

If a person wants to be a chiropractor, be one. Be realistic about what it entails, but don’t easily condemn the medical field in its entirety on a basis that does not hold up in reality.

FWIW, in my locality, back in the 70s when abortion became legal, it was physicians who got it shut down for awhile in our hospital.
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To follow up on that, one of the things I think that this thread should illustrate is that a person needs to be very careful about justifying a new career course on religious grounds. No doubt sometimes that would be warranted. The owner of a pornographic bookstore, for example, would have to give that up for moral reasons.

But its also very tempting to justify career switches on moral grounds. I am, quite frankly, wanting to change career paths and have for a long time. I’m an attorney who does litigation (which is where quite a bit of my exposure to chiropractors comes from). It’d be tempting for me to accept that my Faith dictates that I cannot do this. But that would not be true. It’s my character and desires that are propelling me in that direction. Indeed, I once ran across a quote from one of the saints, although I can’t recall which one it was (Francis de’Sales?) in which he argued, specifically in regards to attorneys, that making the argument that it could not be done on moral grounds was a sinful argument.

I’d have similar concerns here. It’s clear the original author of this thread accepts with enthusiasm the claims made for chiropractors (which I do not) but to argue that the field of medicine is such that a person cannot study to be a MD is simply not valid. I"d be worried, if in that position, about advancing a false argument in order to justify a career path that I simply found preferable. Perhaps it is sincerely believed, no doubt it is, but I"d reexamine it.
 
FullOfThought said:
I’ll warn you right now, this has the ability to be contraversial! I do not mean to insult anybody, so please take this with a pinch of salt!

So, I am wondering what your opinion is of the statement that Catholic’s cannot be pharmacists, doctors or any medical career that provides contraception to the public.

My story- I am in medical school and I transferred to become a chiropractor as I completely disagree with contraception under ALL circumstances… I completely believe the Church teachings about contraception. During my journeys I asked many doctors if they had prescribed contraception, and they all said that they had not only provided contraception to many people but had also referred patients to other physicians/clinics for IVF, STERILITY and ABORTIONS. Even practicing as a family physicans or choosing to specialize you still encounter these often, and due to laws in America you cannot refuse care to patients, and referals are considered to be providing these services.

Here is my question:* Under the assumption that a person follows and believes the Catholic Church teaching, knowing that being a pharmacist/physician that you WILL have to provide contraception to patients and/or refer patients for abortons, sterility and IVF treatments, do you think that it is acceptable for a Catholic to be in these careers?*

Thank you,
FOT
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My Catholic Father was a Pharmacist and I, as a Catholic Physician are what you say we cannot be.

My father was obligated to fill prescriptions, it is true.

I was not required to provide contraception and I was able not to work at facilities that aborted or were involved in things I did not agree with. An Ob-Gyn would have difficulty and that would be a dilema.

Anesthesiolgists may find it more difficult however within the realm of Pharmacist, Physician, Nurse it is possible to adhere to Church teaching.
 
Yeoman said:
To follow up on that, one of the things I think that this thread should illustrate is that a person needs to be very careful about justifying a new career course on religious grounds. No doubt sometimes that would be warranted. The owner of a pornographic bookstore, for example, would have to give that up for moral reasons.

But its also very tempting to justify career switches on moral grounds. I am, quite frankly, wanting to change career paths and have for a long time. I’m an attorney who does litigation (which is where quite a bit of my exposure to chiropractors comes from). It’d be tempting for me to accept that my Faith dictates that I cannot do this. But that would not be true. It’s my character and desires that are propelling me in that direction. Indeed, I once ran across a quote from one of the saints, although I can’t recall which one it was (Francis de’Sales?) in which he argued, specifically in regards to attorneys, that making the argument that it could not be done on moral grounds was a sinful argument.

I’d have similar concerns here. It’s clear the original author of this thread accepts with enthusiasm the claims made for chiropractors (which I do not) but to argue that the field of medicine is such that a person cannot study to be a MD is simply not valid. I"d be worried, if in that position, about advancing a false argument in order to justify a career path that I simply found preferable. Perhaps it is sincerely believed, no doubt it is, but I"d reexamine it.
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I would assume that as an Attorney, unless, assigned a case by the Court you have the privelege of accepting or rejecting clients.
 
We our friends with a doctor and three pharmacists who are authentic practicing Catholics and their faith affects their practices.

Two of the pharmacists own their own pharmacy, so they had made the decision that they don’t provide contraceptives or fill birth control prescriptions. There have actually been leaps and bounds in the legal field for protection of pharmacists who have chosen to do so.

The doctor runs her own practice and also is the founder of a pregnancy help center in our town.

Your faith has to affect and help you in every aspect of your life, including your work place. What an amazing witness that a pro-life medical personal is, and what a great opportunity to show the faith to others, both in action and in word.
 
FullOfThought said:
Like I’ve said repeatedly, there are SOME specialties that don’t prescribe contraception, but getting to be in those positions means that you have to take other jobs that do!! It takes 10 years of residency & fellowship to be a orth surg. I personally would not hold off having a family, homeschooling, huge debt, not seeing my family, to end up with a job that I would not want just to be a MD that didn’t have to prescribe ABC.

Physicians for life said that only working at a private organization as a family doctor can a physician choose not to prescribe contraception! And I won’t get my MD until this is changed and firm.
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Here is the track taken…

College…for the most part 4 years, however there are exceptions with some having less than 4 years and some having Phd or former careers as Nursing or Law.

Medical School 3-4 years

Internship 1 year

Residency…depending on the specialty

Medicine/FP/ Neurology…about 3 years
Medical Specialties including Gastroenterology an additional 1-2 years
Surgical specialties
Ob-Gyn 4-5 years
Orthopedics 4-6 years
Anesthesiology 3 years
Neurosurgery 6 years or more
General Surgery 5-6 years
Plastic Surgery 5-8 years

These time frames differ from school to school and it is not a hard and flat 10 years as you say…

Many have families during the process and it is like any other career, you don’t put all your life on hold while training.
 
FullOfThought said:
I already have switched to it. I never have thought of it as ‘pseudo science’. Our family physician has always been a chiropractor, and for the record massage therapy is fundemantal in sport recovery, whiplash, circulatory problems, headaches… I could go on! I love my massage therapist!

I appreciate some people don’t see/understand the advantages of chiropractic medicine but many do! I am happy with my career choice, feel free to visit me once I’ve qualified… I may be able to change your mind 🙂
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Chiropractic has a role in the community and when you start practice you will realize that role.

You won’t be in an emergency room after a Nurse triages a patient, so immediate Trauma care will not be part of your experience.

You will not see patients in distress with COPD, Asthma, Gun shots, stab wounds, etc

You will have to establish a referal base and plan to see volumes of people that believe in what you do and part of what you will do is getting people to believe in what you do.

It is a different route, that if you find satisfying should be satisfying…
 
JackieMom said:
Jesus rose from the dead, and so did this thread!
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So true…

or from another perspective…
Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive… It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE!
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and you were here to witness it…😃
 
FullOfThought said:
I’ll warn you right now, this has the ability to be contraversial! I do not mean to insult anybody, so please take this with a pinch of salt!

So, I am wondering what your opinion is of the statement that Catholic’s cannot be pharmacists, doctors or any medical career that provides contraception to the public.

My story- I am in medical school and I transferred to become a chiropractor as I completely disagree with contraception under ALL circumstances… I completely believe the Church teachings about contraception. During my journeys I asked many doctors if they had prescribed contraception, and they all said that they had not only provided contraception to many people but had also referred patients to other physicians/clinics for IVF, STERILITY and ABORTIONS. Even practicing as a family physicans or choosing to specialize you still encounter these often, and due to laws in America you cannot refuse care to patients, and referals are considered to be providing these services.

Here is my question:* Under the assumption that a person follows and believes the Catholic Church teaching, knowing that being a pharmacist/physician that you WILL have to provide contraception to patients and/or refer patients for abortons, sterility and IVF treatments, do you think that it is acceptable for a Catholic to be in these careers?*

Thank you,
FOT
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Will read later on, thanks.
 
Disagree completely with the OP. Both my inlaws are doctors and they are devout Catholics and great people.
 
My wife and I are both providers and neither one of us perscribed BC. Another FP in town does not either.

We are upfront with patients about it and there has never been an issue.
 
kfh8989 said:
My wife and I are both providers and neither one of us perscribed BC. Another FP in town does not either.

We are upfront with patients about it and there has never been an issue.
Click to expand...
Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive… It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE!
Click to expand...
Airway, Breathing, Circulation…triage…🙂
 
The medical profession needs more pro-life people. If all catholics abandoned the profession, imagine how much worse it would be.

In regard to having to give referrals for things like abortion, contraception, IVF, etc., you are not required to do so! If a patient requests something you can simply say “I don’t offer that and don’t have anyone to refer you to for that”. The conscience clause is still in existence to protect a doctor’s scope of practice.

Have you considered Medical Students for Life? It’s a national organization to support pro-life medical students. I heard a talk sponsored by them, given by a pro-life anesthesiologist, who spoke of how he navigates medicine. He has been in the position of having to refuse to offer his services for abortion procedures. He has been the only anesthesiologist on call on a weekend, and been called to participate, but still refused. It may anger some of his peers, but the law protects his right to do this.
 
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