Q1: Define medical sociology and its scope:

Medical sociology:
Medical sociology is concerned with the relationship between social
factors and health, and with the application of sociological theory and research techniques to
questions related to health and the health care system.

Scope:
Medical sociologist have wide scope medical sociologists can either serve as healthcare
workers, nurses, psychologists, or can go on to develop and analyze policies, work as hospital
administrators, and human resource representatives.

Q2. Relationship between doctor and patient:

A doctor–patient relationship is formed when a doctor attends to a patient's medical needs
and is usually through consent. This relationship is built on trust, respect, communication, and a
common understanding of both the doctor and patients' sides.
A doctor–patient relationship (DPR) is considered to be the core element in the ethical
principles of medicine. DPR is usually developed when a physician tends to a patient’s medical
needs via check-up, diagnosis, and treatment in an agreeable manner. Due to the relationship,
the doctor owes a responsibility to the patient to proceed toward the ailment or conclude the
relationship successfully. In particular, it is essential that primary care physicians develop a
satisfactory DPR in order to deliver prime health care to patients.

The three elements that form doctor patient relationship are following:
1. Trust
2. Knowledge
3. Loyalty
Some essential features of maintaining doctor patient relationship are:
1. Communication:
Good communication skills are essential to establish DPR. Studies have
revealed that effective communication between physician and patient has resulted in
multiple impacts on various aspects of health consequences such as:
1. Improved medical, functional, and emotional condition of patients;
2. Better patient compliance with medical treatment;
3. Enhanced fulfillment of patient toward healthcare services;
4. Lesser risks of medical misconduct.
2. Doctor empathy:
Empathy is vital to ensure the quality of DPR. This enables the
physician to understand the symptomatic experiences and needs of individual patients.
Studies have suggested that physician empathy improves the therapeutic effect and the
patient’s quality of life.
3. Trust:
Trust in doctors allows patients to effectively discuss their health issues.
Development of trust enables the patient to comply with the doctor’s guidance, which
consequently results in improvement of health.
4. Informed consent:
This is based on the moral and legal arguments of the patient’s
autonomy (independence in decision making). In relation to trust, the physician needs
to be honest with the patient and his family to provide a genuine assessment of
favorable and unfavorable outcome probabilities, along with the suggested therapy.
Conclusion:
Doctor patient relationship is created when a patient visits doctor.
There are three elements that form doctor patient relationship:
1. Loyalty
2. Knowledge
3. Trust