People just don't understand

[EMRaiden]

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up in a few weeks I am looking forward to another round of seeing family and making bold attempts to explain my job; and that being an ER doctor is it for me. Is it just me or has our speciality do a poor job of defining itself to the public (aside from reality TV shows like 'ER').

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[roja]

Depends on if I am back home.


In NYC there is no lovin' for any MD's.

but back home its usually, wow, that must be soooo stressful. You have to be really smart because you kind of have to know everything. My {insert story about friend, family etc that went to ed}. thats so great.

 

[Sessamoid]

If over a decade of one of the highest rated television shows in history hasn't taught the general public, then nothing you say will make a difference. Some people are unteachable.

 

[roja]

Well, I don't know what kind of ER you work in, but our ED's arent much like ER. I can't even watch that show, its so amazingly innacurate.


Now 'Scrubs' is another story.

 

[Seaglass]

Scrubs is the real worold, but on TV - including the inner monologue.

 

[roja]

You have that too??????????????

 

[Febrifuge]

My dear Roja, you don't even need to be a doctor to have that.

 

[edinOH]

You should have listed a choice for "Wow that sounds soooo coooool! Tell me about the worst thing you've ever seen"

I hate that.

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

Oh come on. Everyone knows ER docs crack chests, give chemo, etc. Try explaining to people what a radiologist does.

Me: I'm doing a residency in radiology.
Everyone: So you take x-rays and stuff.
Me: We don't take them. We interpret them. Plus we do CT scans, MRIs, Ultrasounds.
Everyone: What are those?
Me: Never mind. I take x-rays.

 

[cooldreams]

Oh come on. Everyone knows ER docs crack chests, give chemo, etc. Try explaining to people what a radiologist does.

Me: I'm doing a residency in radiology.
Everyone: So you take x-rays and stuff.
Me: We don't take them. We interpret them. Plus we do CT scans, MRIs, Ultrasounds.
Everyone: What are those?
Me: Never mind. I take x-rays.

Everyone: But aren't you worried about the radiation?
Me: Nope, dont have to because I dont take them.... i mean, uh.. we are given special suits....

 

[kungfufishing]

You should have listed a choice for "Wow that sounds soooo coooool! Tell me about the worst thing you've ever seen"

I hate that.

lol that is right on. If I had a nickel for everytime Ive been asked about "the worst thing Ive ever seen" or just been asked to "tell some stories" or told to "drop your weapon and slowly move away from the vehicle"...never mind

 

[Scrubbs]

What are people really looking for when they ask what the coolest thing you've ever seen is? What I think is cool (procedures that actually help people) always ends up grossing people out. They see it on ER and its 'cool'. I tell them it really happens and its gross. Go figure!

 

[Sessamoid]

You should have listed a choice for "Wow that sounds soooo coooool! Tell me about the worst thing you've ever seen"

I hate that.

I hate that too. I've been tempted on a few occasions to ask them if they really want to hear the worst thing I've ever seen, then describe to them various child abuse cases or the toddler that walked in front of a car.

 

[roja]

I hate that too. I've been tempted on a few occasions to ask them if they really want to hear the worst thing I've ever seen, then describe to them various child abuse cases or the toddler that walked in front of a car.

thats a good thread killier.

 

[USCDiver]

I'm always tempted to describe a really sick medicine patient.

"This lady was really bad off, her heart wasn't pumping good and her liver was shutting down. She was really swollen...it was a mess."

 

[roja]

I just tell them I went into EM to get the hot men.

 

[flighterdoc]

Everyone: But aren't you worried about the radiation?
Me: Nope, dont have to because I dont take them.... i mean, uh.. we are given special suits....

You should see what the radiation has done for me...why do you think we try and keep everyone away from it?

 

[EMDrMoe]

I just tell them I went into EM to get the hot men.

God Bless Emergency Medicine

 

[roja]

God Bless Emergency Medicine

it would work out better if there weren't so many damn women in my program! But we are all interviewing this year so we plan to dominate and get more young nubile men in the programs. The ortho guys just aren't stable enough... they are always so tired.