[ROMANTICIZATION AND STEREOTYPES AS FACTORS IN SHAPING THE IMAGE OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION]

The article is devoted to the analysis of romanticization and stereotyping of the medical profession as significant factors in the formation of its public image. The relevance of the topic is determined by the fact that ideas about a doctor are formed not only in the space of real clinical practice, but also under the influence of mass culture, the news agenda, social networks and digital platforms. It is shown that the romanticized image of a doctor enhances the symbolic prestige of the profession, but at the same time it can form inflated expectations of society, idealized scenarios of professional behavior and a distorted understanding of daily medical work. Stereotypes, in turn, simplify the perception of the profession, consolidate gender, status and communication patterns, and also affect the trust of patients and the professional identity of doctors themselves. It is concluded that the modern image of a doctor is formed at the intersection of professional ethics, media representation and public expectations, and therefore requires critical reflection and a more realistic model of public representation of medicine.