Hello, I am your doctor..

I know you are worried I do not fulfil

Your criteria- I can see I do not instil

Confidence in you that  I am capable

Of  taking excellent care of you, that I am able

To diagnose and treat your condition-

You might not have chosen me of your volition

 

But you were forced to make a compromise

Between timely referral and me, I surmise…

Probably I am the wrong gender and size

The wrong accent, wrong physical attributes, I realize

I hardly resemble the image you have in mind

Of a distinguished middle-aged male with eyes kind

And a soft-spoken manner; with which he can claim

Your complete trust and respect- I do not blame

You for feeling that way- that is the stereotype

Perpetuated by media- yet there is no one prototype

Of a good physician; we happen to be as diverse

As the rest of the denizens of this universe.

 

So here I am, my petite frame stretched in attention

To your complaints, concerns, apprehensions

I know you are gravely ill, and in distress

Your condition is one I am equipped to address

I might have an accent but know what I tell you 

Is based on up-to-date knowledge, backed by experience too

Because I know you do not intrinsically trust me

Know that I shall be as thorough as a physician can be

Your preconceived notions challenge me to do my best

I know that on a perfect image I cannot rest

Let me tell you- since I do not conform to a stereotype

I’ve had to work harder to earn my stripes

I hope you look past my physical attributes and see

That you shall be treated as well as you deserve to be.