Those working in healthcare may see a routine surgical procedure or imaging exam as totally unremarkable, just one of many medical tasks to perform or support on any given day. For patients, however, even the most routine procedures may cause unease.

That’s the message of Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine in New York City, who wrote the following article for Slate about the difference between looking at medicine as a medical professional and through the eyes of a concerned parent: