looking stupid in front of doctors

[orangeblossom]

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how to avoid this?!

i recently got the chance to speak to a doctor, who quizzed me on anatomy (name of bone; function etc). i didn't know the answer but managed to formulate some crappy response. i assumed it would be better than simply saying "IDK."

anyway, despite looking like a fool in front of him, the doctor said i could observe a surgery later that day. he is the head of anesthesiology so once other people saw that he had OKed me, i got to stand in the OR behind the surgeon and observe my very first surgery!! it took a few hours but time flew by 🙂

But, before the surgery actually commenced, the surgeon talked to me for a bit and I again managed to come across as cognitively challenged. i kind of dont want to go into it, but i really hope i didn't screw up my chances of observing other things in the future.

i think it's a mix of nerves and being too excited. i know i'm going to learn from my mistakes, but i just wanted to know how others have dealt with this problem (i hope it isn't just me who gets flustered). Also, is it better to say "I don't know" or attempt to answer the doctor's question (in an educated manner)? i've known many professors who love to cold call students and get irritated at students who simply give up with an "IDK" but i don't know how doctors feel about this

 

[FunnyCurrent]

on first look, I thought your handle was orgasmblossom...

that is all


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edit: Also, focus on showing interest and the ability to think critically. You could ask for hints and reason aloud for example. Sometimes this is not possible because of your small knowledge base.

 

[deleted357625]

i think it would be better to say idk instead of pulling crap out of your azz trying to seem intelligent

 

[NightGod]

Why the hell would a shadowed doctor pimp a pre-med? The mind, it boggles.

 

[Yoseph101]

You're an undergrad pre-med. How exactly should a physician expect you to know anything? Answer truthfully and then ask them to explain.

 

[orangeblossom]

torshi & yoseph:
not trying to seem intelligent at all. doc knows i'm not a med student, he likely knows i dont know the answers to his questions.

anyway, at one point he encouraged that i just go up to doctors to ask why they did a certain procedure etc. he seems to want students to be get involved.

 

[Oxygen206]

how to avoid this?!

i recently got the chance to speak to a doctor, who quizzed me on anatomy (name of bone; function etc). i didn't know the answer but managed to formulate some crappy response. i assumed it would be better than simply saying "IDK."

anyway, despite looking like a fool in front of him, the doctor said i could observe a surgery later that day. he is the head of anesthesiology so once other people saw that he had OKed me, i got to stand in the OR behind the surgeon and observe my very first surgery!! it took a few hours but time flew by 🙂

But, before the surgery actually commenced, the surgeon talked to me for a bit and I again managed to come across as cognitively challenged. i kind of dont want to go into it, but i really hope i didn't screw up my chances of observing other things in the future.

i think it's a mix of nerves and being too excited. i know i'm going to learn from my mistakes, but i just wanted to know how others have dealt with this problem (i hope it isn't just me who gets flustered). Also, is it better to say "I don't know" or attempt to answer the doctor's question (in an educated manner)? i've known many professors who love to cold call students and get irritated at students who simply give up with an "IDK" but i don't know how doctors feel about this

Intelligent QUESTIONS on your part, not answers, are key to making a good impression.

 

[911 Turbo]

how to avoid this?!

i recently got the chance to speak to a doctor, who quizzed me on anatomy (name of bone; function etc). i didn't know the answer but managed to formulate some crappy response. i assumed it would be better than simply saying "IDK."

anyway, despite looking like a fool in front of him, the doctor said i could observe a surgery later that day. he is the head of anesthesiology so once other people saw that he had OKed me, i got to stand in the OR behind the surgeon and observe my very first surgery!! it took a few hours but time flew by 🙂

But, before the surgery actually commenced, the surgeon talked to me for a bit and I again managed to come across as cognitively challenged. i kind of dont want to go into it, but i really hope i didn't screw up my chances of observing other things in the future.

i think it's a mix of nerves and being too excited. i know i'm going to learn from my mistakes, but i just wanted to know how others have dealt with this problem (i hope it isn't just me who gets flustered). Also, is it better to say "I don't know" or attempt to answer the doctor's question (in an educated manner)? i've known many professors who love to cold call students and get irritated at students who simply give up with an "IDK" but i don't know how doctors feel about this

Too bad OP. If you had been able to answer the questions correctly, they probably would have let you do the surgery and anesthesiology yourself (excellent and impressive on an app). Seriously, how did you not know the answers? What's going to happen when you apply for residency in a few months? You think that there is some kind of school that you can get into that teaches you all about medicine? rofl.... better step up your game.

























.... JK. How were you supposed to know any of the answers?

 

[orangeblossom]

haha thanks guys. yea, i know i couldnt have known the answers, and i will try to ask more questions instead of answer next time.

 

[BigBear123]

Lol orangeblossom I would be exactly you in that situation too.

 

[diagonal]

it took a few hours but time flew by 🙂

Bless your heart.

 

[Stumpyman]

I was quite like that when I first started working in the hospital (undergrad job). It always leaves a better impression to ask smart and meaningful questions, rather than knowing the answers to some questions.

 

[572776]

how to avoid this?!

i recently got the chance to speak to a doctor, who quizzed me on anatomy (name of bone; function etc). i didn't know the answer but managed to formulate some crappy response. i assumed it would be better than simply saying "IDK."

anyway, despite looking like a fool in front of him, the doctor said i could observe a surgery later that day. he is the head of anesthesiology so once other people saw that he had OKed me, i got to stand in the OR behind the surgeon and observe my very first surgery!! it took a few hours but time flew by 🙂

But, before the surgery actually commenced, the surgeon talked to me for a bit and I again managed to come across as cognitively challenged. i kind of dont want to go into it, but i really hope i didn't screw up my chances of observing other things in the future.

i think it's a mix of nerves and being too excited. i know i'm going to learn from my mistakes, but i just wanted to know how others have dealt with this problem (i hope it isn't just me who gets flustered). Also, is it better to say "I don't know" or attempt to answer the doctor's question (in an educated manner)? i've known many professors who love to cold call students and get irritated at students who simply give up with an "IDK" but i don't know how doctors feel about this

I would not worry about looking "smart" right now. they know that you are a pre med so i would not think that they would expect you to know a whole lot. If you have a general idea of where the major organs are located, then you are in good shape 👍😀. i would just try and look very interested/excited and offer any kind of help even if its small stupid stuff. also, if you come in early and stay late for your shadowing hours, it will show dedication/interest...they really like that <-- this came from a surgeon that i shadowed

 

[Xiao]

Lol calm down doctors are just people. 🙂

It's perfectly okay to tell him you don't know -- it will make you sound more intelligent than spewing BS. Just be genuinely curious and ask questions (but not too many that it gets in they way of their patient work.)

When there's significant downtime, you can talk to him about industry trends, sports, your schoolwork, or whatever he seems to be interested in.

If he calls you out for being stupid. Tell him you haven't gone to med school yet and he's an *******.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

You will look stupid in front of doctors for the rest of your career.

 

[K M R]

Doc kind of sounds like a tool ... Encouraging curiosity is one thing, but putting a pre-med on the spot is bush league.

 

[TexasPhysician]

Doc kind of sounds like a tool ... Encouraging curiosity is one thing, but putting a pre-med on the spot is bush league.

People wonder how any MD can write a LOR for shadowing them, but when the MD actually attempts to evaluate critical thinking skills, you call him a tool.

OP - the MD surely knows your educational status and asks questions to see how you think. Answering idk all the time would hurt you. Pick your battles and make an attempt when you think you have a remote chance of knowing something.

Ask questions. Seem interested.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I've had this happen to me. A cardiothoracic surgeon was harvesting a radial artery graft from a patient for a CABG, and he started asking me about the vessels used in CABG and the occlusion rates. Luckily, I had already taken physio, so I managed to make myself not look too dumb...

 

[Captain Fantastic]

people wonder how any md can write a lor for shadowing them, but when the md actually attempts to evaluate critical thinking skills, you call him a tool.

Op - the md surely knows your educational status and asks questions to see how you think. Answering idk all the time would hurt you. Pick your battles and make an attempt when you think you have a remote chance of knowing something.

Ask questions. Seem interested.

+1

 

[Verum]

Why have you not memorized both the latin and english names of all the parts of the body yet? Comon OP, you're making all of us pre-meds look bad.

 

[kpcrew]

Doc kind of sounds like a tool ... Encouraging curiosity is one thing, but putting a pre-med on the spot is bush league.

not really, it's a learning experience. usually it's things that you should know

 

[Magicjewel]

There is also the possibility that he was asking you tough questions not to see how you would answer but instead how you reacted to it. How you react is surprisingly useful when writing an LOR.

 

[mmmcdowe]

People wonder how any MD can write a LOR for shadowing them, but when the MD actually attempts to evaluate critical thinking skills, you call him a tool.

OP - the MD surely knows your educational status and asks questions to see how you think. Answering idk all the time would hurt you. Pick your battles and make an attempt when you think you have a remote chance of knowing something.

Ask questions. Seem interested.

I have to agree, how else is the MD going to be able to evaluate you.


Remember, OP, many surgeons are used to having residents/medical students around. Teaching is done by asking questions to assess knowledge, and then once the pupil is engaged they will fill in the answer as necessary. As one progresses in knowledge, it can sometimes be hard to "dumb it down" sufficiently, but I would take this surgeon's actions as a genuine attempt to teach and interest you in medicine. The emotional angst that comes from failing to answer a question only reinforces the answer once given. Don't hesitate to admit that you don't know, some physicians dislike wild guesses. However, if they want you to guess they will encourage you to after you say I don't know.

I really doubt that the surgeon is going to refuse to let you shadow again just because you failed to answer his questions, OP.

 

[Sandstorm]

haha thanks guys. yea, i know i couldnt have known the answers, and i will try to ask more questions instead of answer next time.

On an unrelated note, I am now craving sushi...

 

[PTPoeny]

Now is a good as time as any to learn that the proper answer to a question that you don't know is "I don't know but I will look that up". If you aren't sure of the exact answer but know half of the question you can say "I do know x,y, and z, but I will look up the rest".

 

[mvenus929]

It's okay to say 'I don't know'. They're not going to expect you to know it. Half the time my attendings ask me things knowing that I don't know the answer. A few have the philosophy that they always ask the medical students questions first, and if they don't know, they move up the line to interns and residents. Some questions they really don't expect you to know (because there's no reason you would), but they need a way to assess your clinical knowledge, and pimping seems to be a favorite way.

I disagree with the person above that you should be saying 'but I'll look it up' at this stage. You're shadowing to learn what it's like to be a physician, not to learn medicine. That's what medical school is for.

 

[LogicofMan]

As a serial idiot-feeler when watching all kinds of surgeries, I can tell you with confidence that you shouldn't stress one bit over it. Doctors aren't out of touch with reality (in the vast majority of cases). They know you don't know anything. Oftentimes, they just do it to get you to engage your mind and try to get you to really think about what you're watching or about to watch.

You're good, don't worry. If they judge you for something like that, their opinion shouldn't matter to you anyways.

 

[tenndoc]

im going to relay a word of advice i got from my grandfather once when i was younger.

never miss a good opportunity to keep your mouth shut