WATCH: What makes a good doctor? Why school marks aren’t everything

A doctor’s race and the language they speak can play a role in the kind of care they provide — depending on their patient’s race and language

July 19, 2022 at 07:31 am

Students with better matric marks are more likely to do well in the theoretical part of medical school, but not necessarily the practical side (when they treat patients).
English- and Afrikaans-speaking doctors often struggle to communicate with black patients who don’t speak these languages, which can make it harder for them to provide quality care.
Research from the US shows that black doctors are often more successful at treating black patients than white doctors.