Stress Test Cartoon: When Medical Exams Feel Like an IRS Audit #1883624 (License: Personal Use)

This black-and-white editorial cartoon depicts a visibly distressed patient seated on an exam table, flanked by two physicians-one with a stethoscope and another holding a briefcase labeled “IRS AUDIT.” The scene satirizes the psychological burden patients associate with medical procedures, especially cardiac stress tests, by equating them with the high-stress experience of a tax audit. Signed by cartoonist Connie Hawkins, it leverages irony to highlight healthcare communication challenges.

Used in healthcare blogs, medical practice websites, or patient advocacy content to lighten the tone around diagnostic procedures; targets readers seeking relatable, humorous takes on medical anxiety or administrative overload in health systems.