If not "ER Docs".....

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BMW19

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So I have noticed that it is a very touchy subject when someone says "ER Doc" or "I'm going into ER". I can understand it based on the nonsensical show. What do you prefer to go by? EM Physician? Emergency Physician. I work IN the ER. I am in Emergency Medicine. I was just curious because people ask me what I want to pursue and I think of you guys going nuts over this!

BMW-
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One of the "newer" names I have heard is emergentologist..

For me in the future Emergency Medicine physician works..

I think people dont like ER because it isnt just a room.
 
While I see what people mean by ER is just a room, I will probably always say ER. I don't really see what the big deal is. There are some people on this forum who get :mad: :mad: when you call them ER doc's. Seems pretty pretentious to me, but hey, that's just me. I could care less honestly. Everytime someone (outside of medicine) asks what I am going in to, I say Emergency Medicine, and their response is are you an ER Doc? So to me, it's just easier to be an ER doc, the first time. It takes less explanation.
 
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As with other specialists, we prefer to be identified by what we do, not by the place where we do it, hence the term "emergency physician." People also seem to prefer "emergency medicine" as the name of the specialty and "emergency department" as the main place where the specialty is practiced. I heard one program director use "emergentologist" and "traumatologist," but few seem to take those terms seriously.
 
It also depends the other person in the conversation. If they aren't in a medical field, it is easier/faster/more easily understood to say "ER doc" than any of the other options. Lay people understand what you mean, and it saves the hassle of repeating yourself and/or explaining what your words mean.

On some level it is important that the field and the training programs have meaningful descriptive names. But some of it is pretentious, egotistical, and/or hypersensitive people with their panties in a bunch.
 
I have noticed over the past several months, when I tell people that I'm going to graduate, that "ER doc doesn't suffice." I'm in the trauma SICU now, and my pateitn's family always ask me what specialty. "Emergency medicine" doesnt' suffice. Then I just tell them that "I'll work in the Emergency Room" and they understand. I take it as a compliment... that they want to follow up in my clinic but I don't have one... so they don't get it.

Q
 
DrQuinn said:
I have noticed over the past several months, when I tell people that I'm going to graduate, that "ER doc doesn't suffice." I'm in the trauma SICU now, and my pateitn's family always ask me what specialty. "Emergency medicine" doesnt' suffice. Then I just tell them that "I'll work in the Emergency Room" and they understand. I take it as a compliment... that they want to follow up in my clinic but I don't have one... so they don't get it.

Q
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That always makes you feel good in med school when patients ask you to be their PCP. Some actually seem disappointed when you explain to them that they can't be your patients.
 
Can we call ourselves Emergeons?
 
...oh. Are you going to specialize?....
 
kbrown said:
While I see what people mean by ER is just a room, I will probably always say ER. I don't really see what the big deal is. There are some people on this forum who get :mad: :mad: when you call them ER doc's. Seems pretty pretentious to me, but hey, that's just me. I could care less honestly. Everytime someone (outside of medicine) asks what I am going in to, I say Emergency Medicine, and their response is are you an ER Doc? So to me, it's just easier to be an ER doc, the first time. It takes less explanation.
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I agree with this. It too doesnt bother me too much. I will say though that my habit of calling it the "ER" got pointed out to me a few times on the interview trail..and not in a "hey thats cool" sort of way. Thats why I did a few early ones to warm up..
 
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Apollyon said:
Unbuttoned white coats bother you to distraction, but being called an "ER doc" doesn't? I would think one's as casual as the other.
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Do a lot of you guys where your white coats. I did two away rotations in EM and never wore my white coat. Not one resident or attending did either. They told me not to because it just gets really dirty and gets in the way most of the time.

Thoughts???
 
Apollyon said:
Unbuttoned white coats bother you to distraction, but being called an "ER doc" doesn't? I would think one's as casual as the other.
Click to expand...

There's nothing new about this argument, it goes back to the founding of the specialty. All those terms are also not new. The choices also included emergenticist-which was possibly the shortest but somewhat strange.


It finally came down to emergency physician (EP) and emergency department (ED). But six syllables is really unwieldy and the tv show killed the second.

I find myself using ER doc to patients and acquaintences because they understand me.
 
EctopicFetus said:
One of the "newer" names I have heard is emergentologist..

For me in the future Emergency Medicine physician works..

I think people dont like ER because it isnt just a room.
Click to expand...

It was in the town where I worked as a volunteer paramedic!
 
OSUdoc08 said:
It was in the town where I worked as a volunteer paramedic!
Click to expand...

oh, you were an ambulance driver? :)

emedpa
former 911 service "ambulance driver"-L.A. county and philadelphia
 
kbrown said:
Do a lot of you guys where your white coats. I did two away rotations in EM and never wore my white coat. Not one resident or attending did either. They told me not to because it just gets really dirty and gets in the way most of the time.

Thoughts???
Click to expand...


Our program is about 50/50. I personally don't wear the white coats, because I know I'm going to be down and dirty in every possible bodily fluid. We're told to keep a white coat handy in case we have to deliver "bad news" to a family. For some reason it's supposed to increase our professionalism.
 
BMW19 said:
So I have noticed that it is a very touchy subject when someone says "ER Doc" or "I'm going into ER". I can understand it based on the nonsensical show. What do you prefer to go by? EM Physician? Emergency Physician. I work IN the ER. I am in Emergency Medicine. I was just curious because people ask me what I want to pursue and I think of you guys going nuts over this!

BMW-
Click to expand...

In casual conversation I use "ER doc," in formal written stuff, I stick with the more appropriate "emergency physician."

Most nights, I'm just happy to be called something other than "motherf*cker."

mike
 
mikecwru said:
In casual conversation I use "ER doc," in formal written stuff, I stick with the more appropriate "emergency physician."

Most nights, I'm just happy to be called something other than "motherf*cker."

mike
Click to expand...


I'm referred to as a "motherf*cker" frequently and loudly by my cracked up, belligerent homeless patients.
 
My first time shadowing a physician was in the emergency department. I kept calling it the emergency "room" and finally she turned around and said, "It's a department, not a room." :oops:

It later clicked why she told me to meet her at the ED. The whole time I was like, why would I meet her at erectile dysfunction?? :)
 
As a third year student with a very strong desire to be an Emergency Medicine Physician, I only use words which I know will not upset anyone.

ED / Emergency Department
EC / Emergency Center
EM / Emergency Medicine
Emergency Medicine Residency
Emergency Medicine Physician

My mentor corrected me very early on when I was saying 'ER Docs' and the 'ER'. He told me those terms might happen to offend someone somewhere and in the hospital you NEVER know who is listening to you. Take those away from your vocabulary; practice the other phases everyday and bring back the less official terms only when you are 'there' and can do so without consequences (i.e. are an Attending)... if you so choose.
 
We're required to wear our white coats. Our chief is very vocal about us wearing them.

Yes, Apollyon, I think a white coat looks best buttoned. However, I'm a lot more lenient now. The further out I get from my surgery-heavy training in medical school, the more lenient I become with white coat attire.
 
EM_Rebuilder said:
My mentor corrected me very early on when I was saying 'ER Docs' and the 'ER'. He told me those terms might happen to offend someone somewhere and in the hospital you NEVER know who is listening to you. Take those away from your vocabulary; practice the other phases everyday and bring back the less official terms only when you are 'there' and can do so without consequences (i.e. are an Attending)... if you so choose.
Click to expand...

That's fine advice for a medical student still in a$$-kissing mode.

And if you're speaking in front of a group, like during M&M or other teaching scenarios, or if you are identifying yourself when calling a consultant or administrator, etc. In formal setting, fine.

But for everyday usage when time and energy are a precious commodity, it would take someone with their head really far up their a$$ to stop and correct a resident on what term he uses to refer to himself. As far as I'm concerned, you can call yourself the Queen of Spain, just as long as you take care of your patients properly.

This, however, coming from someone who is not looking forward to introducing myself to patients as "Dr. Telemachus" when internship begins in 2 months......
 
didn't we do this before?
 
emedpa said:
oh, you were an ambulance driver? :)

emedpa
former 911 service "ambulance driver"-L.A. county and philadelphia
Click to expand...

When I was a USMC Tanker: "Oh, you drove a tank."

No. I was the Tank Commander. I had a PFC who drove the tank. (You start as a driver or a loader and work your way up. I did, however, know how to drive the tank because I was a driver until I was promted to Lance Corporal at which point I became the Gunner.)
 
ER would actually be a step up for a hospital I used to take patients to as a paramedic. We not-so-affectionately called it the EC.

Emergency Closet.

Thank God I'm out of the closet now.

Take care,
Jeff
Emergency Medicine Resident
Resident Emergency Physician
ER doc in training
 
EctopicFetus said:
I guess a yee haw is in order...
Click to expand...

Maybe we should call it Emergency Fortress of Protection.

that would make it really cool.
 
When people ask me what I do, I just tell them the truth. " I'm a Sh it magnet".
 
emedpa said:
oh, you were an ambulance driver? :)

emedpa
former 911 service "ambulance driver"-L.A. county and philadelphia
Click to expand...

The funny part is, I had a partner who was dealing with a rather annoying patient asking him a million and two questions. Finally he turned to her and said, "I don't know, I'm just an ambulance driver. Do you want to go to the hospital or not?"

I had to leave the room... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 
How about "triage"? As in, I specialize in "triage". I am going to apply for a residency spot in "triage". It seems to make the insecure future surgeons around me somewhere between happy and uncomfortable. It cuts out any old jokes early.
 
JackBauERfan said:
Maybe we should call it Emergency Fortress of Protection.

that would make it really cool.
Click to expand...


We need one of those. Some of my attendings need protection, as they are scared to death of litigation.
 
roja said:
didn't we do this before?
Click to expand...
Yeah I got deja vu reading this thread so we must have covered this some time in the past few years. However now that I am officicially "in the club" I wanna send out a quick e-bite me to ANYONE I have ever spoken to who corrected me when I called it the ER. GET OVER YOURSELF!!!!!!
The whole department of operating suites is still refered to collectively as "the OR" and I will be damned if I will sit passively by as some of my EM colleagues behave MORE pretentiously then the surgeons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(colforbin falls off of soap box and goes back to online poker)
 
Cumbersome as it might be, I decided that I'd rather have all that filth on my coat than on ME.

kbrown said:
They told me not to because it just gets really dirty...
Click to expand...
 
colforbinMD said:
Yeah I got deja vu reading this thread so we must have covered this some time in the past few years. However now that I am officicially "in the club" I wanna send out a quick e-bite me to ANYONE I have ever spoken to who corrected me when I called it the ER. GET OVER YOURSELF!!!!!!
The whole department of operating suites is still refered to collectively as "the OR" and I will be damned if I will sit passively by as some of my EM colleagues behave MORE pretentiously then the surgeons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(colforbin falls off of soap box and goes back to online poker)
Click to expand...
After all, who would want to go to the OD?
 
Siggy said:
After all, who would want to go to the OD?
Click to expand...
If it's a viagra OD does that then make it the ED?
 
colforbinMD said:
Yeah I got deja vu reading this thread so we must have covered this some time in the past few years. However now that I am officicially "in the club" I wanna send out a quick e-bite me to ANYONE I have ever spoken to who corrected me when I called it the ER. GET OVER YOURSELF!!!!!!
The whole department of operating suites is still refered to collectively as "the OR" and I will be damned if I will sit passively by as some of my EM colleagues behave MORE pretentiously then the surgeons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(colforbin falls off of soap box and goes back to online poker)
Click to expand...
I remember starting a thread like this in 2003

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=92554
 
colforbinMD said:
Yeah I got deja vu reading this thread so we must have covered this some time in the past few years. However now that I am officicially "in the club" I wanna send out a quick e-bite me to ANYONE I have ever spoken to who corrected me when I called it the ER. GET OVER YOURSELF!!!!!!
The whole department of operating suites is still refered to collectively as "the OR" and I will be damned if I will sit passively by as some of my EM colleagues behave MORE pretentiously then the surgeons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to agree with colforbinMD...what i find to be so contradicting is that folks that go into Emergency Medicine pride themselves in being "laid back", "not being full of themselves", "viewing medicine as a J-O-B and not so much a "calling"....etc....but when you refer to the ED as the ER they get all worked up and all offended or call them ER docs etc.......

As to what I think of this whole matter....in the words of the Alicia Silverstone's character in the movie CLUELESS....

W......."WHAT.....EVERRRRR...." saying ER as opposed to ED to me is like saying Toe-Mate-toe as opposed to Toe-Motto...BFD...
Click to expand...
 
I tell people I'm going to be an ER doctor. Everyone knows what that is (in the non-medical world). Then they immediately follow it up with "oh, long hours and lots of trauma huh?"

Of course on professional papers, giving myself a title etc... I'd say Emergency Medicine Physician, but I really don't care.

My family and friends will forever call it an ER doc and that's fine with me.

to each his own.

later
 
i think i remember actually reading something on the em forum about how only er docs can call other er docs "er docs," but to all others we are emergency physicians. at this point, though, i'm just happy if someone believes that i'm (in 18 days, at least) an actual doctor. personally, i don't much care what you call it (though i was admittedly cautious in my personal statement and interviews). wait...i take that back...please don't call me an emergentologist--that sound waaaayyy smarter than i actually am, and i don't need the addes expectations...
 
Not to beat a dead horse, but I went into EM because of the the laid back atmosphere and not giving a ****. If your patient calls you a mother f*cker then you blow it off, treat em and street em. Hopefully your next patient recognizes you actually are there to help them. Then if one of the attendings next to you wants to give you a lecture about the proper vocabulary regarding your SELF appointed title, you tell them where to shove it. I am my own man and no one will tell me whats what when it comes to OPINIONS.


BTW, they call themselves hospitalists and no one cares about that. Looks like the newer specialties are setting a trend, and the old dudes don't like it. :smuggrin:
 
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