Consented

A Doctor's Call to End Medical Violence and Reclaim Patient Autonomy

By: Zed Zha M.D.

Narrated by: Christina Ho

A physician’s bold critique of medical rape culture—and her call for a new model of care that centers consent and empowers patients

Medical culture has a problem with consent—and it’s not just a few bad doctors. That’s the conclusion of Dr. Zed Zha in Consented, a groundbreaking look at how the healthcare industry ignores patients’ agency and perpetuates violence.

Even the best and most caring doctors can fall prey to what Dr. Zha identifies as medical rape culture: a system of beliefs and practices that enable and normalize the violation of patients’ autonomy. Dr. Zha shows how this culture is historically entrenched—from the invention of the speculum to eugenics—and argues that we need a sea change in our healthcare system to stop repeating the same mistakes. She interlaces these hidden histories of medicine with first-hand patient stories and her own personal journey, identifying four key problems of consent within medical practice:

• Non-consent (“Doctors know what’s best for the patient.”)
  
• Forced consent (“If patients are noncompliant, their voices cease to matter.”)
  
• Inadequate consent (“Doctors can decide what patients need to know.”)
  
• Contractual consent (“Sign here, then forever hold your peace.”)
  

This fundamental misunderstanding of consent robs patients of the right to control what happens to their own bodies, and can cause serious harm. Instead, Dr. Zha offers a radical new vision of medical consent culture—one that embraces collectivity, accessibility, and compassion. This provocative book will validate anyone who has felt ignored, gaslight, or violated in the doctor’s office and inspire those working in the healthcare system to push for change.

Must read, especially if you’re in the medical field

I went through so many emotions reading this book—angry, ashamed (at myself), sad, and even laughing. I loved it. Well done, Dr. Zha.

Great Book on Medical Consent, Discrimination, Racism and the trauma that follows

This book covered many different types of discrimination, neglect, racism, and trauma in the medical community and a doctor who recognized it. I’m thankful to see someone speaking about the lapses in medicine and how it has impacted people all over, especially marginalized communities.

I listened to this book because of the VCUG mention in Chapter 8. I was given a VCUG 3-4 times from 18m to 6 years old. It wasn’t until later that I discovered that my sexual trauma stemmed from this. I can not explain what experiencing this young has done to me here but I spent years *knowing* I was SAd but not remembering specific events, trauma from the recurring nightmares, inappropriate feelings and play. I was 33 years old when I put it all together. In the end, this was not something fully communicated to my mother and incomprehensible by me. This chapter specifically covered consent and the importance of getting the consent forms signed, with the patient fully understanding the information not really mattering to most at all.

I really liked this book and will recommend it to other women.