“Fine feathers make fine birds” – non-medical students’ opinions on the dermatologists’ image in Poland: a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: Medical professions are full of patterns and personal exemplars which determine norms of behaviour. Research works focused on the doctor’s image include not only perception of reality, but also patients’ subconscious expectations. AIM: To get to know the students’ opinion on the image of dermatologists, to assess the public image of that profession and what factors have the biggest impact on that issue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in a group of 1000 Polish, non-medical students (F = 817, M = 183) between 18 and 25 years old. The data were collected through an anonymous, author-designed, online questionnaire. The questionnaire was sent via Internet social media to students from 12 various non-medical fields of study. RESULTS: 51.6% of interviewees considered this profession as moderately prestigious. Only 18.9% of the respondents saw the image of the dermatologist created by the media as adequately presented. There is a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0006) between the different age groups and the frequency of visits to the dermatologist. The median sum the respondents were able to pay for a specialist visit was 100 zloty (IQR: 70–150). The field of study (p = 0.002) and place of residence (p < 0.001) significantly influenced the amount they were able to spend. CONCLUSIONS: In students’ opinion, factors such as medical experience and communication with the patient have the strongest influence on the image of this profession. The second strongest factor affecting the choice of a dermatologist is information acquired by word of mouth from other patients and family members, without any prior verification.