Volume 176 - Issue 12
Genotype–phenotype correlations with personality traits of healthcare professionals: a new use for the Human Genome Project
Authors: Dominic A Fitzgerald and David Isaacs
Med J Aust 2002; 176 (12): 620. || doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2002.tb04603.x
Published online: 17 June 2002
Published online: 17 June 2002
To the Editor: Fitzgerald and Isaacs' recent article on genotype–phenotype correlations in healthcare professionals describes some truly original research in an area of exceptional relevance.1 However, some of their conclusions fail the analytical technique described by others as "the common sense test".2
Most obviously, the finding of complete deletion of all personality genes in orthopaedic surgeons sits uncomfortably with clinical experience, which suggests a plethora of witty and indeed charismatic members of that specialty. The authors have erred in making an admission of reading The Medical Journal of Australia on at least a semi-regular basis as an inclusion criterion for the study. As this would include only a minuscule proportion of the orthopaedic population, their sampling was surely unrepresentative.
By the same criterion, it is likely that there are few theatre sisters who would admit to being semi-regular readers of the Journal. Those who do are probably married to members of the medical profession, which would explain the (bel) indifference phenotype.
References
- Fitzgerald DA, Isaacs D. Genotype–phenotype correlations with personality traits of healthcare professionals: a new use for the Human Genome Project. Med J Aust 2002; 176: 339-340.
- Rees P. Doctors win TPA inquiry. Aust Med 2001, 17 Sep: 1-2.