Related article in The Star here.

Relationships between doctors and patients remain an important element in diagnosing and treating diseases. Unfortunately, the boundaries of acceptability can sometimes be contentious and blurred. When is a good doctor-patient relationship, just becoming too good?

Can a doctor be attracted to a patient he/she treats? Of course it can happen but both parties must understand that they can no longer be professionally linked. Once a professional relationship between a doctor and patient is breached, then such a relationship should cease and the doctor can no longer treat that particular patient.

So what happens when a doctor becomes attracted to a family member of a patient he/she treats? Is it still ethically wrong? Can he/she date a family member while still treating the patient? As of now to my knowledge, this is still deemed unethical.

Matters of the heart can sometimes be difficult to predict and might afflict any of us in the medical profession. It is important to understand that doctors are subjected to all the laws of nature and should never be viewed as super beings. Doctors themselves must be aware of their actions and its inevitable consequences. Seeking help when necessary is important even for doctors especially when love or lust may have blurred their normal thought processes.

Happy Valentine's Day!