How do you handle it when an attending corrects you...

[The new guy]

How do you handle it when an attending corrects you for something ANOTHER student did? I.e, the attending confused you with another student? This happened to me recently and I didn't know what to say without sounding defensive. When I tried to explain, the attending stood his ground and kept claiming it was me who made the mistake. So I let it drop. Not sure how to handle these things going forward.

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[link2swim06]

What did you/the other student supposedly do?

As with anything in life...choose your battles.

 

[Psai]

and what was it you were trying to gain from arguing with the attending?

 

[The new guy]

and what was it you were trying to gain from arguing with the attending?

I don't want the attending to think I'm an idiot

 

[The new guy]

What did you/the other student supposedly do?

As with anything in life...choose your battles.

Basically a mistake in taking a history. Assuming a patient was heterosexual when patient was not. This wasnt me, I wasn't even at the hospital when this patient was seen! The attending is adamant it was me. I guess I do look a lot like the other student.

 

[link2swim06]

Basically a mistake in taking a history. Assuming a patient was heterosexual when patient was not. This wasnt me, I wasn't even at the hospital when this patient was seen! The attending is adamant it was me. I guess I do look a lot like the other student.

This sounds like a pretty minor thing...I might make one attempt to set the record straight but this is a pointless battle. Let it go dude. Fight the battles that matter, let the rest go.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

Tough situation. But if he can't even tell two students apart, chances are it doesn't truly matter. I would have said that I didn't think it was me, but apologized and moved on. Basically: "I don't believe I ever saw patient X, but I'm sincerely sorry that a mistake was made and will make sure I'm careful when taking future histories". If he was argumentative after that, then just drop it.

That way, you're not confrontational or argumentative, don't admit fault, don't throw your fellow student under the bus, and still address the concern of the attending.

 

[SplenoMegastar]

Sounds like that person is being weird, but unfortunately this happens. It sometimes even happens in real time (i.e. being told something was not presented in your differential when the whole rest of the team heard you say it). It's likely not a big deal. The eval system at my school has a "cultural sensitivity" component, so worst case scenario is that this could come up in that section (but I really doubt it will). My guess is the attending used the erroneous info and was embarrassed in front of the patient or a consulting colleague. Try to let it go and she/he probably will, too.

 

[Serous Demilune]

This sounds like a pretty minor thing...I might make one attempt to set the record straight but this is a pointless battle. Let it go dude. Fight the battles that matter, let the rest go.

HAH

 

[DermViser]

Basically a mistake in taking a history. Assuming a patient was heterosexual when patient was not. This wasnt me, I wasn't even at the hospital when this patient was seen! The attending is adamant it was me. I guess I do look a lot like the other student.

Of all battles to throw your body on a grenade on, this is the one you chose?

 

[general admission]

"Yes sir. Mhmm. Yes. No sir."

 

[The new guy]

Of all battles to throw your body on a grenade on, this is the one you chose?

I should clarify I didn't really argue with the guy...I attempted to explain but let it go as soon as I saw it wasn't getting anywhere. I didn't feel any tension or disdain, just that he really thinks it was me with that patient. I'm just a little annoyed. I am more worried about how to handle these kinds of things in the future, when the issues are more important and the stakes higher...

 

[DermViser]

I should clarify I didn't really argue with the guy...I attempted to explain but let it go as soon as I saw it wasn't getting anywhere. I didn't feel any tension or disdain, just that he really thinks it was me with that patient. I'm just a little annoyed. I am more worried about how to handle these kinds of things in the future, when the issues are more important and the stakes higher...

Simple - like an adult. It very much depends what the situation is -- i.e. patient getting wrong dose of drug vs. being corrected on an H&P detail.

 

[mcloaf]

Tough situation. But if he can't even tell two students apart, chances are it doesn't truly matter. I would have said that I didn't think it was me, but apologized and moved on. Basically: "I don't believe I ever saw patient X, but I'm sincerely sorry that a mistake was made and will make sure I'm careful when taking future histories". If he was argumentative after that, then just drop it.

That way, you're not confrontational or argumentative, don't admit fault, don't throw your fellow student under the bus, and still address the concern of the attending.

I don't think not taking credit for a mistake you didn't make qualifies as throwing another under the bus, but I agree with your general sentiment.

 

[sobored]

I should clarify I didn't really argue with the guy...I attempted to explain but let it go as soon as I saw it wasn't getting anywhere. I didn't feel any tension or disdain, just that he really thinks it was me with that patient. I'm just a little annoyed. I am more worried about how to handle these kinds of things in the future, when the issues are more important and the stakes higher...

I feel for you. That is actually really annoying. I know everyone here is all about "bow down to the attending," but in this specific case I actually think you handled it really well. Make one attempt to correct the attending, if that doesn't work let it go. But like I said, a very irritating situation that hopefully won't have an impact on your eval.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

I don't think not taking credit for a mistake you didn't make qualifies as throwing another under the bus, but I agree with your general sentiment.

I might not be understanding your point, but the purpose of my wording was that pointing fingers and saying "Yeah, that wasn't me -- Joe did it." is much less productive than simply acknowledging the issue in a tactful way (especially if the attending doesn't seem to discriminate between you and "Joe").

So... the idea was not taking credit for a mistake that you didn't make while also not pointing a finger at the student who made the mistake.

 

[mcloaf]

I might not be understanding your point, but the purpose of my wording was that pointing fingers and saying "Yeah, that wasn't me -- Joe did it." is much less productive than simply acknowledging the issue in a tactful way (especially if the attending doesn't seem to discriminate between you and "Joe").

So... the idea was not taking credit for a mistake that you didn't make while also not pointing a finger at the student who made the mistake.

In this case I think you're right. My point was more that it's not inherently against the med student g-code to point out who is responsible for an error depending on the situation, and that doesn't automatically mean you're a gunner or throwing someone under the bus. Being in medicine means (or should mean) taking responsibility when you **** up and learning from your mistakes, I don't expect my classmates to shield me from that.

 

[SpartanWolverine]

In this case I think you're right. My point was more that it's not inherently against the med student g-code to point out who is responsible for an error depending on the situation, and that doesn't automatically mean you're a gunner or throwing someone under the bus. Being in medicine means (or should mean) taking responsibility when you **** up and learning from your mistakes, I don't expect my classmates to shield me from that.

Understood, and I agree that responsibility and accountability is important. However, in this case, where it seems the attending doesn't know one student from another, it might just make you look worse to point fingers (displacing blame when your attending is certain that you are the responsible party). Really, we're just splitting hairs at this point, but there are times to point out the responsible party and times to take the blame; if mistakes are made, the responsible party -- and not the patient -- should pay for (and, most importantly, learn from) their mistakes.

 

[throwawayuser]

ITT - people who think there is only one way to handle OP's situation and that their way is right way.

OP - use your own personal judgment and common sense in the future. You seemed to have handled it appropriately. **** everyone else's opinion.

Except mine of course.