Erving Goffman’s drama metaphor can be used to help explain the social encounters that take place in a clinical setting by analyzing the actors/audience, setting, and performance. First, the clinician and the patient each have specific roles to play. The clinician has to exude professionalism, competence, integrity, and a caring attitude in order to gain the confidence, respect, and compliance of the patient. The clinician may use props to help provide the proper image such as a uniform, credentials on a name badge, and language such as medical terms that are uncommon in everyday conversations to demonstrate knowledge and expertise. In the fourth century, Hippocrates wrote:

“On entering (the sick person’s room, the physician must) bear in mind (his) manner of sitting, reserve, arrangement of dress, decisive utterance, brevity of speech, composure, bedside manners, care, replies to objection, calm self-control…”

Hippocrates recognized the variety of roles that a clinician must play within a patient interaction.

The physical environment within a hospital or clinic communicates a variety of messages. The cleanliness and sterility of the setting indicates the quality of care that will be provided. Even the colors of the rooms are intentional, as the colors have shown to affect the recovery process of patients. The performance by the clinician is more than just the technical aspects of medicine. Medical sociologists have demonstrated the socio-emotional aspect of the interaction is as or more important than the technical aspect. After all, medicine is an art and not purely a science. Therefore, the performance by the clinician is dependent on following the script (roles) while on the stage (clinical setting) while utilizing specific props.