The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health crisis that has pushed the healthcare system and the individuals working in it to the brink. Physicians are generally respected for their rigorous training and altruism treating the sick and improving lives. COVID-19 has elevated the already lofty status of physicians and medical professionals to new heights. Rightfully so, they have been given heroic status for their courage and dedication. See “Getting PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to Healthcare Workers,” https://getusppe.org/; “The Heroism of Health Workers in the Coronavirus Crisis” Letters. N.Y. Times (March 26, 2020), https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/opinion/letters/coronavirus-health-care.html.; Peter Marks, and “The nightly ovation for hospital workers may be New York’s greatest performance,” The Washington Post (April 6, 2020), https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/theater_dance/the-nightly-ovation-for-hospital-workers-may-be-new-yorks-greatest-performance/2020/04/06/e443195c-7795-11ea-a130-df573469f094_story.html.

In medical malpractice trials, there is a lot of testimony about the background, training, and experience of physicians and other healthcare specialists involved in the case. Plaintiffs’ attorneys seek to capitalize on any shortcomings or perceived weaknesses in their qualifications in an attempt to discredit them and portray them as inept.