Rude physicians

[9909]

I'm working part time at a fine dining restaurant and hotel to support myself before med school. This week we've been catering to groups of doctors/pharm companies who are renting our hotel conference rooms for social events while a huge medical specialty conference is in town.

Now, there's been some really great guests that we've hosted. Smiles, super polite to the serving and bar staff, etc. Normal human being s***.

The other half however has the been the rudest group of guests we've ever hosted. Looking down upon and making fun of our staff. Being downright rude at the expense of making jokes. Derogatory. You name it.

Now I don't want to generalize. A lot of people are crappy and it may have nothing to do with the profession. Many of my coworkers are hard workers who are studying and have gotten into difficult grad programs and are just trying to make a living.

It sucks to be treated poorly because of some perceived social worth. But little do these guys know that I'm remembering their names and I'll be a doctor someday too. Med school starts next year and I hope they aren't faculty. So to you aspiring physicians, just remember to treat people kindly.

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[getdown]

I'm sure this happens with any large group gathering and not solely by medical people.

 

[Spinach Dip]

There is a lot of effort going on to select students who are more understanding and kind to their fellow man.

Whether or not that is working is another question.

 

[9909]

I'm sure this happens with any large group gathering and not solely by medical people.

Agreed, I didn't want to generalize. I guess it is just more poignant since it is a group I'm included in. Still think my message of treating others with kindness is important.

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

I am in a nearly identical situation. There are doctors that don't ever give me the time of day, and then there are some that actually look at you and smile, say hi. It does happen everywhere but it may be more apt with individuals of higher social status for obvious reasons. When people elevate social classes they tend to associate with higher company. Most people of middle class don't go walking up to homeless people saying Hey! hows your day going? Thats obviously an extrapolation and exaggeration but you can see what I mean.

Does that mean its polite? Not at all. Nobody likes to be ignored. Just the way some people tend to operate when they move up in the world. The sooner you accept that the less stress you have in your life OP.

Im busting my ass working some low level job as well, and I have people come to me all the time and give me trash and say here, take this for me. Or a family member of a pt tell me to do something because of my job title, when in reality it has nothing to do with me. It does get frustrating and it can even be demoralizing, particularly when its coming from someone you want the respect of, such as a physician. You just have to tolerate people; you're going to have to do that often as a doctor.

 

[summergirl]

There are definitely doctors who are just dinguses. I met a doctor who would promise something that was extremely important to me and would back out on it at the last minute even though it would have only took him 10 minutes and would literally save a year of my time. That same doctor called me a kindergarten when I started a sentence to ask him about the difference between a ... he never heard the end of that sentence because he cut me off to call me a kindergarten for asking him questions instead of searching on google.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Just the way some people tend to operate when they move up in the world.

Most doctors (today) come from upper-middle class families.

So they probably didn't "move up" and become jerks--those who are jerks were probably already such before they even started their medical training.

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

Most doctors (today) come from upper-middle class families.

So they probably didn't "move up" and become jerks--those who are jerks were probably already such before they even started their medical training.

There is probably some truth to what you are saying. One day OP will return in his white coat stethoscope-clad opulence, and strike down upon those who wish to poison him.

 

[9909]

There is probably some truth to what you are saying. One day OP will return in his white coat stethoscope-clad opulence, and strike down upon those who wish to poison him.

I shall bring forth the hammer of justice!

 

[Moose A Moose]

Lol, what are you going to do as a student to them? Or if one is your attending during rotations? Nothing. Take my advice and ALWAYS keep your mouth shut. For the love of God, just trust me on this one.

I worked in a restaurant for many years and can empathize with you regarding the slop that can come through. Just remember those days and pay it forward in a positive manner when you're in that same seat some years from now.

 

[9909]

Lol, what are you going to do as a student to them? Or if one is your attending during rotations? Nothing. Take my advice and ALWAYS keep your mouth shut. For the love of God, just trust me on this one.

I worked in a restaurant for many years and can empathize with you regarding the slop that can come through. Just remember those days and pay it forward in a positive manner when you're in that same seat some years from now.

Lol yeah whatever man fair enough, obviously I understand the hierarchy of medicine and I'm not going to do anything career ending - I'm just venting. But you know I don't have to respect these people, and hopefully what goes around comes around and if I'm present I won't stop karma from being a b*tch.

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

I'm sure this happens with any large group gathering and not solely by medical people.

The OP reacted like this since it is a group he can relate to. It is very understandable, and I'd be upset at a lack of courtesy as well.

 

[9909]

The OP reacted like this since it is a group he can relate to. It is very understandable, and I'd be upset at a lack of courtesy as well.

I guess it's just the harsh reality of people, and it'll just serve as a reminder of how not to act in the future.

 

[9909]

Care to share specific examples?

Sure one of the guys didn't like the food for some reason (most of them did and were eating it up). He asked one of the waitresses if she like it and she said yes, and he commented on how he didn't expect her to have good taste because she works a low level serving job. He kept calling her over and picking up food off the catering tray and inspecting it then throwing it in the trash in front of her and making more rude jokes to the group. That kind of crap

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

Sure one of the guys didn't like the food for some reason (most of them did and were eating it up). He asked one of the waitresses if she like it and she said yes, and he commented on how he didn't expect her to have good taste because she works a low level serving job. He kept calling her over and picking up food off the catering tray and inspecting it then throwing it in the trash in front of her and making more rude jokes to the group. That kind of crap

Wow that's over the top. I would have told him to **** off, honestly. Was everyone else turning a blind eye?

 

[Law2Doc]

If it makes you feel better it probably has nothing to do with social class. You will become a doctor and still likely be treated as a peon by certain other specialties.

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

If it makes you feel better it probably has nothing to do with social class. You will become a doctor and still likely be treated as a peon by certain other specialties.

Mind to share some examples?

 

[Hospitalized]

Mind to share some examples?

ER docs often get the shaft by specialists; it's easy for them to talk down because they know more about the case (hence why the ER doc is consulting). It puts a specialist in a very easy position to belittle the ER physician, and this seems to happen more frequently on late night consults when the (specialist) doesn't want to be woken up. Hey Dr. neurologist, I have a ruptured ectopic in the room next to my stroke patient. Can you do the workup for them, too?

 

[njtrimed]

Mind to share some examples?

Some anesthesiologists resent being treated like subordinates to surgeons despite having the same level of education and training.

 

[deleted647690]

I'm working part time at a fine dining restaurant and hotel to support myself before med school. This week we've been catering to groups of doctors/pharm companies who are renting our hotel conference rooms for social events while a huge medical specialty conference is in town.

Now, there's been some really great guests that we've hosted. Smiles, super polite to the serving and bar staff, etc. Normal human being s***.

The other half however has the been the rudest group of guests we've ever hosted. Looking down upon and making fun of our staff. Being downright rude at the expense of making jokes. Derogatory. You name it.

Now I don't want to generalize. A lot of people are crappy and it may have nothing to do with the profession. Many of my coworkers are hard workers who are studying and have gotten into difficult grad programs and are just trying to make a living.

It sucks to be treated poorly because of some perceived social worth. But little do these guys know that I'm remembering their names and I'll be a doctor someday too. Med school starts next year and I hope they aren't faculty. So to you aspiring physicians, just remember to treat people kindly.

Dude, this is simple. You should have just spit in their food.

Or put some other stuff in their food, if you know what I mean (body fluids)

 

[deleted647690]

Sure one of the guys didn't like the food for some reason (most of them did and were eating it up). He asked one of the waitresses if she like it and she said yes, and he commented on how he didn't expect her to have good taste because she works a low level serving job. He kept calling her over and picking up food off the catering tray and inspecting it then throwing it in the trash in front of her and making more rude jokes to the group. That kind of crap

And then he would have had a good reason to not like the food

 

[arc5005]

You could always remind them that they are older and more likely going to be a patient soon, perhaps one of yours, so..... yeah. and Be like:

 

[Pete Clat]

I take it you haven't been working in food & bef for too long.

 

[deleted714452]

Every group of people has dinguses. Most likely dinguses premeds and then dinguses doctors.

(sidenote: is asshol(e) forbidden, I see it changed to dingus)

 

[waka flocka flame]

Ah, the US Caste System. Some Physicians totally change when they take off the white coat.

 

[medic86]

Every group of people has dinguses. Most likely dinguses premeds and then dinguses doctors.

(sidenote: is asshol(e) forbidden, I see it changed to dingus)

YOUR AN DINGUS

(lol)

 

[JohnConstantine511]

Medicine, like any profession, has it's share of personalities. Some Physician can put on this kind and caring facade when they are with a patient. Yet, away from patients be the most condescending and belittling people you ever meet. Whether they were this way going into med school or became this way after going through med school--that is a different story.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Get used to it. As a medical student you will be bottom of the totem pole and will be very vulnerable as a target for dinguses in general. You just have to have thick skin.

 

[Law2Doc]

Mind to share some examples?

As mentioned, the ED gets beat on by the admitting specialties, anesthesiologists are regarded as the people who exist to serve the surgeons. Hospitalists get goofed on by their consults for not knowing their patients. FM gets beat on for lack of subspecialty depth. Stethoscopes were nicknamed "flea collars" by surgeons because the IM docs wearing them circled patients like fleas, taking blood now and then but never really making an impact. And so on. Pick a specialty and I can assure you someone scoffs at them.

It has nothing to do with social station, and those doctors in the original post probably were treating the waiter the same as they treated a cardiologist who they agreed was clueless just an hour earlier.

 

[Psai]

As mentioned, the ED gets beat on by the admitting specialties, anesthesiologists are regarded as the people who exist to serve the surgeons. Hospitalists get goofed on by their consults for not knowing their patients. FM gets beat on for lack of subspecialty depth. Stethoscopes were nicknamed "flea collars" by surgeons because the IM docs wearing them circled patients like fleas, taking blood now and then but never really making an impact. And so on. Pick a specialty and I can assure you someone scoffs at them.

It has nothing to do with social station, and those doctors in the original post probably were treating the waiter the same as they treated a cardiologist who they agreed was clueless just an hour earlier.

It'd be nice if we could all be friends and respect one another. Instead, it's like gossip girl where your best friend yesterday is your biggest enemy today

 

[AlfonsTheGuru]

And then he would have had a good reason to not like the food

Dude, this is simple. You should have just spit in their food.

Or put some other stuff in their food, if you know what I mean (body fluids)

No.

 

[Goro]

This is not unique to Medicine.

My ex-Navy friends tell me that submariners would called carrier people "Airedales" and the latter called the submariners "squids" or "bubbleheads".

One of my closest friends served in Vietnam in 1970, as a member of the 9th infantry division. Their should patch looked like the below:

People in other divisions called this the psychedelic cookie".

And my friend called people in the famed 82nd Airborne (see below) "the Almost Airborne" or another one which was so politically incorrect that I can't post it.

Don't even get me started on the inter-service rivalries!

As mentioned, the ED gets beat on by the admitting specialties, anesthesiologists are regarded as the people who exist to serve the surgeons. Hospitalists get goofed on by their consults for not knowing their patients. FM gets beat on for lack of subspecialty depth. Stethoscopes were nicknamed "flea collars" by surgeons because the IM docs wearing them circled patients like fleas, taking blood now and then but never really making an impact. And so on. Pick a specialty and I can assure you someone scoffs at them.

It has nothing to do with social station, and those doctors in the original post probably were treating the waiter the same as they treated a cardiologist who they agreed was clueless just an hour earlier.