Medical professional personality disorder

[banner]

Hey MD'05,

I am a medical student. And of course, complaining is therapeutic. But, people who have good jobs don't complain, because they are happy. People who are unhappy complain, especially with the bitterness that you hear in the medical profession.

My brother is a pilot. He actually truly loves his job and he lights up when he talks about. He doesn't become all despondent and emphasize how he hates the flight attendants, terrorists, etc. And this is also when he is talking with his pilot friends.

I think that we have a lot to complain about in the medical profession and I have grown tired of making excuses for this profession. Thus, my conclusion is that, in general, medicine isn't that good of a job.

The sooner those who complain so bitterly admit that, the sooner they can get out and get a job that makes them happy. I've got my escape plan and I have never been so happy.

Think about it.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Foxxy Cleopatra]

Originally posted by banner
I think that we have a lot to complain about in the medical profession and I have grown tired of making excuses for this profession. Thus, my conclusion is that, in general, medicine isn't that good of a job.

The sooner those who complain so bitterly admit that, the sooner they can get out and get a job that makes them happy. I've got my escape plan and I have never been so happy.

Think about it.

Agreed. But what is your escape plan?

 

[efex101]

Hey, I have yet to start medical school but I have always wanted the "one liners" give it to me in less than one nanosecond or move on. I have very little patience for small talk and if you have to say something then stop beating around the bush. Maybe it is my prior military training...hmmm

 

[neilc]

Originally posted by womansurg
I thought Chowder and Head were more precisely descriptive. Or you might want to consider Average and Student - that'd probably be right on the mark.

hey now womansurg, i am an average student...and i would be deeply offended to be categorized with that meathead! and chowder head is a term used by my family, so that is a bit too nice. how does Nim Rod strike you?

 

[DrDre']

Banner, you bring up some interesting points. However, anecdotal analysis is unlikely to prove any hypotheses, despite how much we all love to try.

Your brother (?) the pilot not complaining means nothing. That does not mean that his "job is better" than a physician's, it only means that that one individual is not a complainer or is positive, in general.

I am willing to admit that I am hypercritical and analytical of everyone AND myself. For that reason, I am often negative, or less than positive. I would be this way in any field. If I was a pilot, I would be complaining about schedule changes, queueing in the air, whatever. I recognize my fault here.

Medicine is a great profession with lots of disadvantages, just like ALL fields.

This is actually my nth profession or vocation. I thought long and hard about medicine, esp. as I had already experienced a lot of the negative elements of it already as a paramedic.

What i realized was that the positive outweighed the negative. More pragmatically, any job essentially requires you to deal with human beings, so many of the negative aspects will follow in any job you do unless it involves sitting in a locked room, alone, without a phone or computer (not sure what this would be...)

 

[RADRULES]

All I have to say is that I am glad that there are smart people in surgery and medicine. If you need to bitch, by all means please do so, but keep being good doctors.

Frankly, I did outstanding in medical school, but there is no way I could do what medicine and surgery docs do on a daily basis. Kudos to them.

 

[irisheyes]

The new radiohead album is definitely underrated...as most of their work is. Their day will come.....ingenius band. Anyway folks it has been good to read your threads. I am starting med school in jan. at Ross, have a great family, enjoy skiing,skydiving, playing music,socializing etc. I really hope I can retain these interests to some degree so that I can avoid the personality disorder. Best of luck to all. Pick up the new radiohead.....it works wonders for stress.

 

[MD'05]

Banner,

Point taken. Perhaps there are happy doctors, residents, and medical students out there and perhaps I am one of the hypercritical (as DrDre terms it) medical students who are always picking apart everything encountered. I will leave that point alone.

I did want to comment on your escape plan. Be careful about leaving medicine because there are negative aspects to every profession ... some even worse than anything that you can experience in medicine because there are laws and regulations that govern the medical profession. Some, let me term them, pseudoprofessions are wide open to not only unethical practices, but down right illegal practices that can land you a nice Federal prison sentence. Ooops, but that's just me being negative! Good luck with whichever path you take ...

 

[GeddyLee]

Well I'll back up BANNER's anectdotal evidence. I have a friend who is a pilot, and consequently several friends of his that are pilots. My parents have a friend who is a pilot. I used to work at an airport where I talked to and made friends with lots of pilots. BANNER's analysis is right on. Never do I hear complaints about their jobs. I think it's time to face up guys...maybe if you have MPPD you just made a bad career choice.

 

[HollyJ]

Seriously, chillin, what the hell is wrong with you?

 

[banner]

Thanks for the great discussion guys.

Anyway, I'm not trying to say that being a pilot is the occupational utopia. For my brother, it happens to be. But overall, who knows? Additionally, I'm not trying to suggest that all physicians are miserable. I know a guy who gets so excited to do Whipples that he cut his vacation short to do one.

I only brought up the story to illustrate an interesting phenomenon that I have seen in MPPD people: they can't seem to differentiate between what makes them happen and what makes them miserable. If fact, some are so far gone that they think that their lives are only worth living if they are suffering - people who don't suffer are "silly" or "weak" or "naive". But I digress...

I am simply making the point that good jobs enhance a person's life and bad ones make a person miserable. People with MPPD (and there are a lot of them) can't seem to differentiate the two. If you're miserable in your life overall because of your job, you've got a bad job. This seems to be a simple concept outside the medical profession.

So no matter how much you "love the OR" or "love helping people" or "love when old ladies try to set me up with their grand-daughters/sons" if the other aspects of the job make your overall life experience miserable, then you have a bad job.

I've known physicians who would rather be in the hospital more than anyplace in the world, including the ski slopes or Christmas dinners with their families. These people have the ideal job. God bless them.

But unless you are one of these, it is had to see why anyone would want to go into a medical specialty that required them to spend unending hours in the hospital, hating everything and everybody, even the elevator. It is even harder to see why anyone would choose a specialty that would cause them to to become socially isolated from everyone, including their spouses, children, etc. Of course, some people truly like being socially ******ed and, again, they have found the perfect profession.

If you all remember Maslow's hierarchy, many physician would fall on the bottom as their basic needs are not met : no sleep, food, personal interaction, etc. This is also something to think about.

And if you argue that all of these bad things will suddenly sublimate when one becomes an attending, you continue to buy into that delusion so characteristic of MPPD: the next step is going to be better. In reality, the biggest thing that happens when you are an attending is that you have more responsibility.

 

[Thewonderer]

I like banner's example of how happy the pilot is.

I also honestly cannot understand why medical people want to talk about medicine when they are away from it. At most, I ask my fellow students and residents, what services they are on. They reply with a couple sentences and in a minute or two, I try to steer the conversation away pretty quickly.

One time, on a small dinner out in a restaurant, FOUR fellow classmates got into a discussion of how acetazolamide prevents mountain sickness through it action on the kidney... boy, I felt sorry for one of their girlfriend who was sitting at the table with us. Until today, i still could not understand why one of them could not look it up afterwards and just tell everyone else. What is the point of a 20-min long debate on one single medical fact???

Many people also appear to be bitter in their current residency positions. All of these probably also carry over from their medical school days. I can tell many of my fellow classmates focusing on getting into the "best" internal medicine (peds, EM or orthopedics...) programs so they can become the cardiologists or GI docs they have always wanted to be. But where is happiness in that equation? Why, if you know that certain programs have good reputation but will undoubtedly work you hard, that you still beg them to take you due to the name-brand? And then why come back and complain about it 3 months later?

Rest be assured, not all GS or IM programs work you hard or provide unfriendly, bitter atmosphere. Please do some research ahead of time.

 

[bustinbooty]

Originally posted by edinOH
I can't tell you how many times I've just wanted to bang my head against the wall already this year when a pt talks to me like they are doing me a favor by agreeing to a proposed tx plan vs leaving AMA or when a nurse or tech explains to me why they can not or have not done a task for a pt because it just wouldn't be convienient for them or it would ultimately create more work for them. Or the cafeteria lady giving you **** about an extra scoop of eggs with breakfast inleu of a biscuit or some other peice of trivia. It gets to the point where you realize everyone around you is either punching a clock or spending half of their day wondering how they can get out of working the other half!

I find when I hear other people bitching about how their boss is so unfair or how they are "just working so hard" or are "so stessed out at work right now" I honestly just want to tell them to suck it up and do your job because nobody really cares. Perhaps this is because this is the attitude I have and I don't really have alot of patience for whinning. My motto has become "Just do your job and shut the hell up." Both for me, my fellow interns, and the ancillary staff.

Just a word to all the "impatient" docs who have such a low tolerance for ancillary hospital staff and all the "lay people" out there who seem less than motivated to do their jobs. (i.e. the cafeteria worker who doesn't want to give you extra eggs). Many of these people are not working at jobs which are their life-long calling or which may even provide them any fulfillment. What may be a lifestyle for you is just a paycheck for them. They might as well be working at a factory, school, business office, or whatever else puts bread on the table. So, give them a break because they don't make enough money, nor is it in their job description to put up with your s**t. They may not want to go the extra mile to help out a patient or make your life easier, but at 6.25 an hour....that may be their perrogative. While you have a job that may be your "calling", others may just be watching the clock until they can bolt out the hospital door to go pay the bills and be with their families. And there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone who works in the hospital should be expected to share your motivation for helping others. Gripe all you want with your fellow residents, etc. to blow off steam but don't come down on the lady at the coffee shop or the lazy looking janitor for their lack of motivation. Maybe the most important parts of their lives don't lie in the job they do

 

[dobonedoc]

I've seen too much misdirected energy among some ancillary staff, and the deal with the lunch lady is true.

Currently an intern, I do feel burned on the edges. I'm tired of working crazy hours, and being the one in the hospital more holidays than not. I'm not bitter toward those who have better hours, nor jealous; and I have not lost sight of the fact that I worked, and begged, cried (not really,) and prayed to be in the spot I am. Most importantly, I don't need reassurance that I am Okay or normal.

I do get pissed at 0300 when, after finally sitting in a recliner, shutting my eyes, and crashing into some stage of sleep, to be awakened by a nurse with some non-urgent question - to which s/he already has an answer, but is just looking for the phone order from the doc. Forget it if you expect him/her to know why the patient is in the hospital, or what their vitals are, or what meds they are taking. You get the "Well (with that irritated sound in their voice) let me look . . ." song and dance. Though their job may not be their passion - good for them - but when you are at work, making $6.00/hr or $150K/mo for marketing PB&J - do your damn job, and do it with pride!!

As for the lunch lady - after 24 hours with 8 to go, give me the freakin' biscuit AND eggs, and don't give me grief if I'm $0.11 over my pittiful allowence! Add it to my bill, and I will pay. Just let me eat so I can run onto my next patient.

 

[drusso]

Originally posted by bustinbooty
Just a word to all the "impatient" docs who have such a low tolerance for ancillary hospital staff and all the "lay people" out there who seem less than motivated to do their jobs. (i.e. the cafeteria worker who doesn't want to give you extra eggs). Many of these people are not working at jobs which are their life-long calling or which may even provide them any fulfillment. What may be a lifestyle for you is just a paycheck for them. They might as well be working at a factory, school, business office, or whatever else puts bread on the table. So, give them a break because they don't make enough money, nor is it in their job description to put up with your s**t. They may not want to go the extra mile to help out a patient or make your life easier, but at 6.25 an hour....that may be their perrogative. While you have a job that may be your "calling", others may just be watching the clock until they can bolt out the hospital door to go pay the bills and be with their families. And there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone who works in the hospital should be expected to share your motivation for helping others. Gripe all you want with your fellow residents, etc. to blow off steam but don't come down on the lady at the coffee shop or the lazy looking janitor for their lack of motivation. Maybe the most important parts of their lives don't lie in the job they do

I can honestly tell you that the difference you describe is what makes working at certain medical institutions highly fulfilling. At *SOME* medical centers everyone from the cheif medical officer to the lowliest ancillary staff member feels a part of an important team and centrally involved in a mission to provide excellent service and patient care. I've seen some janitors, cafeteria workers, desk clerks etc truly go above an beyond the call of duty because they believe that their efforts help doctors and nurses deliver better quality care to patients. A desk clerk could enter those orders in the computer before she goes on her break, but if she realizes that a 1 hour difference might mean the difference between starting an important therapy or making a clinical decision, she or he will enter it in the computer immediately. Some institutions are able to cultivate this sense of pride in all their employees regardless of their hourly wages.

 

[dobonedoc]

Oh Yeah, Bustedbooty -

I look forward to your patience 2 years from now. Enjoy school while you can!

 

[Philo Beddo]

I agree that its a kick in the sack to bust your chops only to be pestered or put down by ancillary staff.


I've recieved RN pages in the wee hours about things like the number of milks a patient had with dinner.

One of the other residents was paged at 0400 by an RN who had to know if she could give a patient (sleeping) an enema because no one charted a BM that day.

How to cope:
Remind yourself as often as you can, that this is not about you. It is about another human being who is suffering. Stop griping about you, you, you. You're not here for you, but for them. You're not dying today, they are.

Philo

 

[dobonedoc]

I was enjoying your reply, right up to the point where you informed me of how to cope.

I believe I am coping just fine.

I feel as an intern I am here for those who are dying or suffering.

I am justified in griping about nurses who think they have enough medical experience and knowledge to decide that a patient needs an enema. Your personal cases illustrate my point perfectly.

My feelings are not about the patients. Though tired, my priorities are always for the patient. My frustration is toward the staff that takes no pride in their work. The same group that puts on the coat and gloves, gets that last smoke of the shif in, then stands in front of the time clock for 40 seconds waiting for it to move onto the next minute before clocking-out.

 

[edinOH]

Originally posted by bustinbooty
Just a word to all the "impatient" docs who have such a low tolerance for ancillary hospital staff and all the "lay people" out there who seem less than motivated to do their jobs. (i.e. the cafeteria worker who doesn't want to give you extra eggs). Many of these people are not working at jobs which are their life-long calling or which may even provide them any fulfillment. What may be a lifestyle for you is just a paycheck for them. They might as well be working at a factory, school, business office, or whatever else puts bread on the table. So, give them a break because they don't make enough money, nor is it in their job description to put up with your s**t. They may not want to go the extra mile to help out a patient or make your life easier, but at 6.25 an hour....that may be their perrogative. While you have a job that may be your "calling", others may just be watching the clock until they can bolt out the hospital door to go pay the bills and be with their families. And there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone who works in the hospital should be expected to share your motivation for helping others. Gripe all you want with your fellow residents, etc. to blow off steam but don't come down on the lady at the coffee shop or the lazy looking janitor for their lack of motivation. Maybe the most important parts of their lives don't lie in the job they do

I get it. The support staff are allowed to be lazy and indifferent because they are expected to hate their jobs? Why the hell shouldn't they be expected to "go the extra mile" as you put it in order to provide the best possible service to their pts. and the staff they are hired to support? That's their F'ing job! If they don't like it, perhaps they should find another job more fitting to their personal desires. You say there is nothing wrong with that. I say there is everything wrong with that. Thankfully most of the ancillary staff don't follow your "I'm a low-level employee so I'm allowed to be a lazy-ass" philosophy. The large majority do their jobs very well and with pride. It is the few bad apples excercising their "perrogative" that can really foul things up for the rest. And do you really think the most important part of my life is in the job I do? I want to do my job and get the hell out of the hospital as much as the next guy.

You probably felt really good with your "champion of the little-guy" style post, defending the work habits of some people. The ironic thing is that you pretty much are saying that since they are support staff, we shouldn't expect too much of them. You must be a socialist.

 

[Philo Beddo]

I'm an advocate for RNs having to screen all pages through a charge RN after a certain time of day to put the kibash on 90% of the BS.

I believe residents should make as much or more $$ than RNs, rather than wages comparable to the cafeteria workers.

I wish it was ok to let a crappy RN know exactly why they suck at what they do - and expect them to change.

The point is not to become TOXIC though. Besides, you'll have your butt saved by an RN or pharmacist too.

You are, after all, just the intern. You're no mountain of medical know how yourself - you're just expected to be and act like one.

Philo

 

[Thewonderer]

Originally posted by drusso
At *SOME* medical centers everyone from the cheif medical officer to the lowliest ancillary staff member feels a part of an important team and centrally involved in a mission to provide excellent service and patient care.

no doubt that most employees at all medical centers do their job with pride.

however, i have rotated through 4 different hospitals and interviewed at 6 programs. but all of them have some problems with the RN or ancilliary staff.

I am curious as to which institution espouses the value you mentioned so openly and effectively.

 

[DrDre']

I believe Dr. Russo was trying to send out an unassuming "shout-out" to his home institution. I believe he is at Mayo. Wouldn't it be nice if all truly lived the team mentality? Life and work would be such a joy.
Dr. Russo, is it snowing today. It is, south of you 100 miles or so...

 

[dobonedoc]

Once again your post has left me wanting more. I read the beginning of your post, and think you are on to something - then you deliver some off the wall thought:

You are, after all, just the intern. You're no mountain of medical know how yourself - you're just expected to be and act like one.

I suppose NEXT year I should start carring about my work, and NEXT year I should start treating my patients as though I were a doctor. Perhaps as an intern you had/have/(will have?) a resident holding your hand in every decision you make. I do not have that luxury. I must face the fact that some decisions I make, or don't make, every day or night could have a negative impact on the lives of the people I treat.

 

[Kiwi MD]

Well, I might be able to give some insight into the "luxury" life of being a pilot. My husband flies for a major carrier, and yes, I can honestly say that he, and most of his pilot friends, love their jobs.

At first, I was really envious of what seemed to be the ideal job to me....working seventy hour months, getting paid a six figure salary, having amazing flying benefits. And then, while I was waiting to get my ECFMG certification I went on a few trips with him. I can tell you this...there is nothing glamorous about flying for seven hours a day, four days in a row, and spending every night in a different hotel. By the end of every of those four day trips, I had a dehydration headache for two days, suffered from jet-lag, dry skin and a sore throat. And now I agree...you'd have to pay me to go through that again! Also, remember that every time he leaves for a trip, his family life and life in general gets put on hold - more so than if he was only half hour away in the ER or OR. The FAA requires that he sits a huge theory and practical exam every nine months....complete with four hours of simulator exams and a grueling four hour oral exam.

The point I am trying to make, is that he loves his job, because he loves the thrill of flying. And in his mind, when he gets the cockpit view of a great sunset, or mountain range on a clear day, it makes up for all the times he has to stand in a security line, take his shoes off and beg the unhappy flight attendant for a bottle of water or something other than a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich.

Hopefully we can all find that there are pros in our job that outweigh the cons. According to my husband, medicine has always been tha flagstaff of the "ultimate" profession when it comes to commanding respect and envy. Accorrding to him, everyone automatically knows the sacrifices and determination that it takes to get through training - and this comes from a guy that was the operations officer at the USAF Weapon's School ( the equivalent of the NAVY's TOP GUN. ) As he said it, when the flight doc walked through the door, everything else got put on hold.

 

[Starflyr]

I just wanted to say that I agree with most people in this thread - rotations and residency shorten my temper and patience with just about everyone too. Especially my engineer DH...poor guy...

And that lunch lady thing? Oh, I have to share my story...

I was on Neurology, on an exceptionally busy day and was given 15 minutes to go to lunch. It takes 5 to get to the cafeteria, and at LEAST 5 to get through the lunch line, even with the nasty, cold, always available pizza slice.

Well...the lines are humongous, and I get to the register with barely enough time to RUN back and shove my food in my face on the way. I have a money account that you can pay $$ into (Im not a resident, so no allowance yet), and I had my credit card with me - BOTH of which they accept as means of payment. Well, the computers were down and they were apparantly only taking CASH. I held out my ID, she said no, I held out my credit card, she said no. I said, thats all I have, can we work something out? write down my account number? Take something as collateral? I really need to eat something! and she said "Dont put your (&#* problems onto me!" and ripped my food out of my hand and thew it away. THe supervisor backed the #($*& cashier up. WTF! Its not like Im some random person off the street! I mean, white coat, ID, etc, doesnt that mean that Im going to be here every single day for a long time?!?

Eventually, I complained to the real manager and I think the cashier got fired. I hope so. Un FREAKING acceptable!

And these people expect me to be polite to them and treat them and their families well if ever they get sick? It would be awfully nice if they were nice to us too.

Star

 

[bustinbooty]

Originally posted by Starflyr
Its not like Im some random person off the street! I mean, white coat, ID, etc, doesnt that mean that Im going to be here every single day for a long time?!?
Eventually, I complained to the real manager and I think the cashier got fired. I hope so. Un FREAKING acceptable!

Glad to hear you lost your lunch and she lost her job (as you had hoped). Congratulations. Your white coat and badge served you well that day.

It seems some of you are fortunate enough to work at hospitals where everyone from the chief of staff to the lunch lady can quote the hospital mission statement. In an ideal world, this is the way it should be. Unfortunately, this isn't the way it is. My point is bumping egos with ancillary staff for not making your job easier is no way to encourage a change of their behavior. IN fact, I imagine that the nurse who is calling you at 3:00 in the morning gets even more sadistic pleasure from hearing you get mad as she does in calling you in the first place.
It would be great if every employee in the hospital had the same mission to put the patient first, but it is not that way. I'd like to walk around any hospital where anyone claims it is this way for half an hour. But a lot of staff members aren't given any motivation to do any more than their job requires of them. Yeah, I get frustrated with this as much as the next guy and I'd like for everyone else to care as much as I do. But I also try to keep my feelings in perspective and not flex my coat and doctor's badge over the cashier who's maybe having a worse day dealing with downed computers than me.

 

[Galaxian]

Some interesting stuff in this thread... I definitely don't have the experience of some people posting here, but I gotta chime in!

On my surgery rotation, I definitely had the disorder. When I got home post call, I'd listen to my roommates days and think how boring! Then, I'd start buzzing about all the cool stuff I saw, and totally alienate them. And, I think its totally okay to enjoy getting your teeth kicked in every once in a while working 80-100 hours a week and feeling like you not only earned a day off but deserve it. However, standing in the 11th hour of a liver transplant at midnight, having had no breaks, really puts things in perspective when you feel jealous of the circulating nurse who is on her way home while you are getting pimped about the zones of the liver. I started to lose my patience with the people that mattered the most, and I was generally, very, very unhappy unless I was in the hospital. The regimented, "boot camp" image of residency and the busier medical and surgical specialites has kind of a glamour, which, I suspect, loses its luster as soon as it becomes routine.

 

[Philo Beddo]

If we think we already know everything we need to in order to take care of our pateints, we are fools. Dangerous ones. And yet the expectation is there. . . .

That's what's stressful.

So when an RN blows us or the patient off, it's like a kick in the nards.

But sometimes RNs and pharamcists will be right, when you are wrong. They'll save patients from your mistakes - they have mine. Go ahead and prepare your ego for it.

. . even though 90% of the time it seems like they're just there bending us over.

Philo

 

[Starflyr]

Originally posted by bustinbooty
Glad to hear you lost your lunch and she lost her job (as you had hoped). Congratulations. Your white coat and badge served you well that day.

Woah, there. At no point did I point out my white coat and badge to her - I did bring up that I had a very limited amount of time - which was ignored. And that was part of my frustration in the whole deal - being treated like I was trying to steal something when all I wanted to do was eat in my lovely 15 minutes for lunch. I *did* ask if there was any way to work it out. I offered collateral (for my 2.95 lunch), I suggested writing down the account number, I offered to come back later and pay. I HAD TWO forms of accepted payment with me at the time.

The unacceptable part was that there was no recourse for anybody who didn't have cash - and the attitude displayed by both the cashier and the supervisor was VERY unacceptable - I mean, heck, they wasted the food anyways by throwing it away - and then used profanity and blamed me for the problem. And even if I had been a random person - imagine if your (insert family member here) was in the hospital, critically ill, and that happened to you. UNacceptable. Basic courtesy - not using profanity - and having a backup plan of some type is required , no matter who it is. Period.

Star

 

[njbmd]

Hi Folks,

My significant other is a computer-nerd type (systems analyst) who doen't want to hear anything about my work. If there is any mention of any body part, (I'm in surgery) he promptly interrupts me. He won't even come into the hospital to bring me dinner on call nights. He says that he doesn't like the smell of the place.

On the other hand, my friends are totally engrossed with my surgicial practice. They always want to hear about interesting patients. Most of them are Ph.D scientists, lawyers and political folks but I really don't like to chat about work at cocktail parties. I make myself read newspapers so I don't become bored with the rest of the world. I have generally found that people usually suprise the h-ll of of me all the time. Still, I do have trouble relating to the business-types even in the hospital.

I work hard at not developing the MPPD.

njbmd

 

[Tazmaniac]

I have quite a few friends from college who are now architects, and I remember sitting through their discussions of their favorite structural beams. And from then on, I promptly decided not to talk about my job.

So here's a template I use to avoid talking about medicine. Cut-and-paste the statement below, print it out on an index card or so, and just hand it to anyone who tempts you to talk about your job.


Q.
A. I'm a doctor.
Q.
A. Oh, I work in <insert specialty>
Q.
A. Well, I really like working with <kids, adults, elderly, surgical instruments, deliveries, x-rays, pimples>
Q.
A. <3-10> years.
Q...?!
A. Yep. That long.
Q.
A. That's nice that you know a family member who is a doctor.
Q.
A. No, I don't know of him/her.
Q.
A. Uh-huh.
Q.
A. Sorry, I don't give medical advice outside of my practice.
Q.
A. I practice in <insert city or hospital>.
Q.
A. Yes, that's what US & World report ranks us.
Q.
A. Please shut up.

-Todd MSIV USC.

 

[Apollyon]

Originally posted by Tazmaniac
Q.
A. I'm a doctor.

Q.
A. Please shut up.

Strong work. I appended a little when you need to cut to the chase (and make a fast getaway).

 

[Samoa]

Originally posted by Philo Beddo

But sometimes RNs and pharamcists will be right, when you are wrong. They'll save patients from your mistakes - they have mine. Go ahead and prepare your ego for it.

. . even though 90% of the time it seems like they're just there bending us over.

Philo

Also, be aware that at many institutions, people's pay raises, and sometimes their jobs, depend on getting you to conform to whatever idiosyncratic decisions the hospital has made regarding what drugs you can use, what procedures can be done by whom, what constitutes ICU-level care vs. the floor, etc.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

This has been a very interesting little thread. I too have seen a trend toward MPPD in myself. I stifle it as best I can but I have become much more impatient with others and much less well- rounded over the last 5 years. But compared to the other residents in the hospital, I'm probably in the top 10 most well-rounded. I do not regret my decision to go to a "less malignant" residency in a "less malignant" specialty. I have profound respect for the surgeons with whom I work, as they are badly needed, and there is no way in hell I'd sacrifice my life for patient care as they have. So all you surgeons with ****ty lives, know that the rest of us appreciate you, but no way will we ever join you. I hope cutting on people is worth the pain. It wasn't for me.

BTW, I love my job ten times more when I'm working 55 hours a week than when I work 95 hours a week.