Introduction: “I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.” Even the most well-intentioned physicians are at risk of breaching the Hippocratic Oath, not intentionally, but due to unconscious bias or subtle discrimination. Research shows that elderly and female patients may receive inferior medical care. This study explores the potential of such disparate treatment. Methods: Medical providers (N=472 U.S. medical students and residents) participated in an online survey. The study utilized a 2 (patient age: 27, 67) x 2 (patient gender: male, female) x 2 (participant gender: male, female) between-subjects design. With the exception of manipulated age and gender, medical providers examined the exact same medical chart of a patient described as having good health with the exception of constipation (see image). Medical providers indicated how likely they were to order various tests, treatments, and consultations whose appropriateness for each age and gender combination was assessed by 24 physicians (average medical experience=22 years). Those that were were classified as either “necessary” or “unnecessary” by a majority (N=12) and three-fourths (N=18) were coded as moderately conservative and very conservative analyses, respectively. Affective reactions reflected three factors: 1) General Positivity toward the patient, 2) the Medical Compliance the patient would likely adopt, and 3) the extent to which the patient seemed Health-Conscious.Figure 1Results: Results revealed that male (vs. female) medical providers prescribed significantly fewer of the necessary tests to elderly patients (F(1, 464)=4.50, p=.034) and that elderly (vs. young) female patients were assigned moderately significantly fewer necessary tests (F(1, 464)=3.56, p=.060). Moreover, male (vs. female) medical providers had significantly more negative expectations for older patients (F(1, 464)=5.80, p=.016). Conclusion: The data support the notion that female physicians may be more cautious and optimistic than male physicians in terms of medical care, specifically of elderly patients. Additionally, the data show that elderly female patients may be at risk for receiving the most compromised healthcare. Such data is only preliminary but highlights the importance of examining characteristics of patients to ensure equal medical treatment for all. Future research should examine these findings beyond GI.