Here’s the thing, though: Discussing the issues “that potentially could cause an emotional rise in someone” is part of a medical professional’s job. Some examples are obvious — doctors who work in emergency rooms, for instance, will certainly have to deal with extreme trauma on a day-to-day basis. But the possibility of encountering emotionally sensitive material goes far beyond these traditionally high-pressure positions. Gynecologists, or even primary-care doctors, may have to discuss an issue about a patient’s sexual health that stems from a rape. Really, no aspiring doctor in any field of medicine could completely rule out the possibility of facing potentially “triggering” material at work — even physical therapists and chiropractors may at some point have to work with a patient who is recovering from injuries related to an assault.

What’s more, it’s not really enough for doctors to be able to just endure these kinds of discussions; they must also be able to handle them with confidence and calm, sometime acting as a source of strength for a patient who feels psychologically weak. “Bedside manner” is a category in online scoring systems for medical professionals (see websites such as ZocDoc.com) for a reason: People want doctors who are not only able to fix physical symptoms but also able to deal with any related emotional issues in a sensitive and soothing way.