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Mark J Heulitt, MD, FCCM, FAARC, FCCP I am a pediatric intensivist at a children's hospital where the morning after pill is offered.
Since we are a children's hospital we have been able to deny any abortion
procedures and refer them to other adult hospitals. When the issue of the
morning after pill arose I explained that I could not prescribe it for any
patient. Since I am also an ER attending it was agreed that if a patient came in
while I was the attending another attending would be found who could care for
the patient and write the prescription. Of course despite the fact I am a senior
faculty member and have been here 16 years, some faculty have complained that I
do not have the right to "force my beliefs on others," but I have held my
ground.
While I was a student on OB rotation one of the nurses asked if she could speak
to me in private and brought me to a utility room off the OR. In there she
pulled a towel off of a basin which contained an aborted fetus. She looked me
straight in the eye and said "What are you afraid of? This is just tissue," and
told me to grow up. I told her I would pray for her and left the room. I will
never forget the anger in her eyes over my decision not to be involved with this
procedure.
The bias we face is many times subtle but poignant, but we must practice our
faith and stand up for our beliefs.
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Matt Anderson, MD I applied for OBGYN residency programs in 1977. Iowa had an excellent program
and was where I wanted to go. I interviewed with the only pro-life faculty
member and one of the only pro-life residents. By accident, I might add.
When I started on clinic (two months in the first year and two months in the
second year-the time I was to go to the abortion clinic one or two days each
week), I told my chief resident I would not be going. Then, I was approached by
at least three faculty who sat me down and told me I was stupid. I just did not
understand. How could I judge about the need for abortion when I had never
spoken with these desperate women, when I was ignoring the carnage of illegal
abortion, when I was just uninformed and naive. I was just a dumb hick who
didn't know any better.
I somehow got in contact with an attorney who did pro bono work for pro-life
organizations. He sent a letter on my behalf, explaining my stand, explaining
that participation in an abortion clinic was a violation of conscience and that
he was certain they could see that and would take all necessary steps to correct
the faulty policy at the U of Iowa Hospitals, OBGYN department. Oh, dear. What a
storm the letter unleashed. I was called into an office where the director held
the letter and paced, his neck veins bulging, not saying anything for about 5
minutes while I sat, not comfortably. He asked if this meant I was suing the
department, as he threw the paper onto the desk. I said no, not as long as the
policy was changed. Within weeks, the department backed down.
After all was said and done, I had grown up a bit. The most egregious mistake
was going over there at all. I should have stomped my feet, made a big fuss,
complained loud and clear, and not set foot in the abortion clinic. One does not
need to climb into the pig pen to find out if it is dirty and smells bad.
Although I did not perform abortions, I was there, keeping the machinery
running. Shame on me. I should have argued more effectively when with pro-choicers.
I should have worn pro-life buttons (everyone else wore pro-choice buttons). I
should have been a stronger witness for Christ and a stronger witness for life
where God had placed me.
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