Role reversal: when doctors become patients.

We intend to present a personal view of the social behavior of doctors in the role of patients. The hypotheses presented here have been formed through personal experience and the accumulation of reports from and about medical colleagues who have been patients. Our purpose is twofold: (a) to describe the mechanisms of doctors becoming patients and (b) to show the difficulties of this role reversal. We tried to show the complex interactions of role changes in both partners, doctor and doctor-patient, because of differences in role identity, in rigidity or flexibility of coping behavior and the myth and beliefs surrounding the very concept of the medical profession.