he/she/it - what to use with the word 'patient'

[Fedorov]

Hi,
Here is the sentence:

If a patient strictly complies with doctor's advice, (he/she/it) will recover faster.

What word should I use in this case if I don't know patient's gender?
_________________
Help me to improve my English, please. You'll get better company then ;-)

[Jim Jim]

Historically, the answer was he.

However with "political correctness," that seemed sexist to some. That gets us to writing it as "...advice, s/he will recover faster..." this means either she or he.

As a spoken sentence, I would just say "he," but I'm old. Maybe younger people would say "he or she.'

[Fedorov]

And what about 'it'? Is it possible to use it when I refer to words "patient" or "person"?

P.S. What was that thing above???
_________________
Help me to improve my English, please. You'll get better company then ;-)

[SkiIucK]

I'd say "they".

[Fedorov]

[Gkukreti]

Who's that spammer?

[Jim Jim]

Fedorov i would use "it" when referring to people. We do that when referring to some animals or inanimate (not living) objects, but not people. it is insulting to call a person an "it."

[James]

[Fedorov]