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Psychiatrists, following a recent conversation I'm curious, do you genuinely believe that your assessment of a patient is ever truly "objective"? It seems to me that by "objective" you really mean "highly subjective opinion that comes from someone other than the patient"? 
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Surely there's no such thing as true objectivity in psychiatry assessments? Ax will be influenced (even subtlety) by your own subjective experiences (clinical and non-clinical), cultural norms, biases, etc. So why the use of (and belief in the validity of) the term "o/e"?
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Psychiatrist I spoke to today was absolutely adamant that psychiatry assessments aren't a subjective science and didn't seem to have any insight into the inherent subjectivity involved in the "objective examination" process. Is this really a commonly held view? /3
As a patient, and as a former psychology trainee who frequently undertook assessments, it's utterly bizarre to me that a clinician would believe ANY mental health assessment is truly objective. I can't even think how one could substantiate the argument of objectivity here? 
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I also think failing to recognise the subjective forces at play behind the (in my view) unfortunately named "objective examination" indicates a worrying lack of awareness into patient/clinician power dynamics.
Too harsh? Or am I thinking too much with my psychology hat on? /5
Too harsh? Or am I thinking too much with my psychology hat on? /5
I can understand the use of "o/e" in psychiatry as arising from usage as shorthand in general medicine but I question its validity in this context. Psychiatrists, is there something I'm missing here? Why do some of you believe psychiatry assessments are objective? /6
I feel the makings of a @dear_gp post coming on...
Dear GP,
Thank you for your referral of this young professional. Objective examination revealed beliefs of a fixed nature seemingly with no basis in reality and which greatly restrict his communicative ability...
Dear GP,
Thank you for your referral of this young professional. Objective examination revealed beliefs of a fixed nature seemingly with no basis in reality and which greatly restrict his communicative ability...
