Phony stuff in medicine

[Misterioso]

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What are the things you find phony/fake in medicine? Some things I've experienced:

4th year med students who carry on like they are already attendings.

When a med student puts on his/her "doctor voice" when talking to a patient.

A 3rd year med student pretending to want to go into the specialty that he/she is currently rotating in when they really have no intention of doing so.

Closet gunners who like to give off the impression they don't study.

Med students who claim they've always wanted to go into dermatology.

Resume padders

People who vehemently clutch onto the idea that medicine is a "calling" and that money isn't important to make themselves feel above those who see it as a job.

 

[OneBadSkwerl]

Closet gunners who like to give off the impression they don't study.

I know quite a few of those...

 

[Messerschmitts]

People who vehemently clutch onto the idea that medicine is a "calling" and that money isn't important to make themselves feel above those who see it as a job.

Who cares about the money? It's all about the RESPECT and the prestige, baby!! 😀 Ha ha, half-joking.

 

[tigress]

Surgeons (probably residents, but I don't know them) who walk into the elevators and outside the building wearing not only scrubs, but the booties and hat thing and a mask hanging down -- the whole getup. Yes, I've actually seen this. HELLO? The whole purpose of that stuff is sterility, not so you can walk around like you're important because you're a surgeon!

On the same note, med students who wear their white coats on the shuttle and walking down the street, with stethoscopes hanging around their necks, and act all important because of it. I always secretly want to thank the ones who actually take the damn coats off when they get out for the day. (Some of them probably keep them on out of convenience; it's more the attitude some have that gets to me.)

 

[SoCuteMD]

Surgeons (probably residents, but I don't know them) who walk into the elevators and outside the building wearing not only scrubs, but the booties and hat thing and a mask hanging down -- the whole getup. Yes, I've actually seen this. HELLO? The whole purpose of that stuff is sterility, not so you can walk around like you're important because you're a surgeon!

On the same note, med students who wear their white coats on the shuttle and walking down the street, with stethoscopes hanging around their necks, and act all important because of it. I always secretly want to thank the ones who actually take the damn coats off when they get out for the day. (Some of them probably keep them on out of convenience; it's more the attitude some have that gets to me.)

I know what you mean, but I also do this a lot. My mentor's office (I'm just an MS1) is in a neighborhood that has a notoriously high crime rate and I stick out like a sore thumb. My white coat explains my "reason" for being in the neighborhood without me having to say a word. Sad to say, but I really do think it could help keep me safe if I crossed paths with the wrong person.

 

[tigress]

I know what you mean, but I also do this a lot. My mentor's office (I'm just an MS1) is in a neighborhood that has a notoriously high crime rate and I stick out like a sore thumb. My white coat explains my "reason" for being in the neighborhood without me having to say a word. Sad to say, but I really do think it could help keep me safe if I crossed paths with the wrong person.

Yeah, I can understand that. And I bet when I get there I'll feel like keeping my white coat on, too. Sometimes students get this attitude that they're God's gift to mankind when they're wearing that coat, though.

Really it's more stuff like that surgeon that bug me. Because that's just stupid. It's not like he can go wear that stuff into the operating room again, so there's NO reason for it other than show.

 

[starwisher]

Surgeons (probably residents, but I don't know them) who walk into the elevators and outside the building wearing not only scrubs, but the booties and hat thing and a mask hanging down -- the whole getup. Yes, I've actually seen this. HELLO? The whole purpose of that stuff is sterility, not so you can walk around like you're important because you're a surgeon!

On the same note, med students who wear their white coats on the shuttle and walking down the street, with stethoscopes hanging around their necks, and act all important because of it. I always secretly want to thank the ones who actually take the damn coats off when they get out for the day. (Some of them probably keep them on out of convenience; it's more the attitude some have that gets to me.)

I bet a lot of them wear it for convenience sake, if you try to carry it instead everything falls out of the pockets and putting it in your bag is just a huge hastle, especially if you have tons of books in there. I wear mine for the most part when I need to have it with me but I feel so akward if it isn't cold enough to be wearing another coat on top of it, I hate the way it makes you stand out in a crowd.

 

[Hoya11]

Docs who say they work 100 hrs a week and really work 30

 

[Law2Doc]

I know what you mean, but I also do this a lot. My mentor's office (I'm just an MS1) is in a neighborhood that has a notoriously high crime rate and I stick out like a sore thumb. My white coat explains my "reason" for being in the neighborhood without me having to say a word. Sad to say, but I really do think it could help keep me safe if I crossed paths with the wrong person.

Just FYI, a lot of doctors stopped carrying those leather "doctors bags" or ordering MD license plates because junkies assume that doctors always carried medicine on them and mug them. Same probably holds true for white coats in bad neighborhoods.

 

[Poety]

What are the things you find phony/fake in medicine? Some things I've experienced:

4th year med students who carry on like they are already attendings.

When a med student puts on his/her "doctor voice" when talking to a patient.

A 3rd year med student pretending to want to go into the specialty that he/she is currently rotating in when they really have no intention of doing so.

Closet gunners who like to give off the impression they don't study.
Med students who claim they've always wanted to go into dermatology.

Resume padders

People who vehemently clutch onto the idea that medicine is a "calling" and that money isn't important to make themselves feel above those who see it as a job.

Thats great, in every class too!

 

[njbmd]

Surgeons (probably residents, but I don't know them) who walk into the elevators and outside the building wearing not only scrubs, but the booties and hat thing and a mask hanging down -- the whole getup. Yes, I've actually seen this. HELLO? The whole purpose of that stuff is sterility, not so you can walk around like you're important because you're a surgeon!

On the same note, med students who wear their white coats on the shuttle and walking down the street, with stethoscopes hanging around their necks, and act all important because of it. I always secretly want to thank the ones who actually take the damn coats off when they get out for the day. (Some of them probably keep them on out of convenience; it's more the attitude some have that gets to me.)

Hi there,
I am one of those surgery residents who wears scrubs outside the hospital. I enter in the morning (0430h) and promptly go to the locker room and change into a clean (not sterile) pair. I change again if my outer gown gets soaked and I wear a pair home. I go from parking lot to OR locker room and then with white coat over scrubs to make rounds. I do not wear my scrubs outside my car except at the hospital and I do not keep street clothes at work. My day ends at 1800h or later everyday. This keeps my laundry to a minimum and my time to a maximum.

I do not wear my white coat outside of the hospital and I do not wear shoe covers outside of the OR. In fact, I have a pair of Birkie Bostons that I only wear in the OR (clean but not sterile). I have even been known to wash my hands between patients too. And guess what, I walk the same way God allows me to walk since I learned how at age 10 months only faster because I am usually in a hurry to get to do something that I love (operate).

As for attitude, it is only in your mind. You seem to have spent some precious time analyzing this so you must have plenty of free time. I would love to have this much free time to attempt to examine the thoughts, attitudes and motives of others but my schedule does not permit this. I am afraid that most of my free time goes into study and keeping my SO happy.

njbmd 😎
arrogant surgeon

 

[Law2Doc]

People who vehemently clutch onto the idea that medicine is a "calling" and that money isn't important to make themselves feel above those who see it as a job.

While I'm not down about the "calling" per se, and wouldn't hold myself out as above someone, I must say that quite a few folks on SDN seem to be singularly focused on what they can earn. That is a problem for the profession, as it breeds dissatisfaction. There are lots of "jobs" out there, but a "profession" is supposed to be something different. Living from paycheck to paycheck and not enjoying what you are doing the many, many, many hours per week in between is no life, no matter what size the paycheck. If you are not excited about what you do at least some of the time, enjoy it much of the time, and if you consistantly dread Monday mornings, you are simply in the wrong field. I wouldn't consider that to be phony.

 

[tigress]

Hi there,
I am one of those surgery residents who wears scrubs outside the hospital. I enter in the morning (0430h) and promptly go to the locker room and change into a clean (not sterile) pair. I change again if my outer gown gets soaked and I wear a pair home. I go from parking lot to OR locker room and then with white coat over scrubs to make rounds. I do not wear my scrubs outside my car except at the hospital and I do not keep street clothes at work. My day ends at 1800h or later everyday. This keeps my laundry to a minimum and my time to a maximum.

I do not wear my white coat outside of the hospital and I do not wear shoe covers outside of the OR. In fact, I have a pair of Birkie Bostons that I only wear in the OR (clean but not sterile). I have even been known to wash my hands between patients too. And guess what, I walk the same way God allows me to walk since I learned how at age 10 months only faster because I am usually in a hurry to get to do something that I love (operate).

As for attitude, it is only in your mind. You seem to have spent some precious time analyzing this so you must have plenty of free time. I would love to have this much free time to attempt to examine the thoughts, attitudes and motives of others but my schedule does not permit this. I am afraid that most of my free time goes into study and keeping my SO happy.

njbmd 😎
arrogant surgeon

Actually, I have no problem with people wearing scrubs to work. I plan on doing it someday too. I'm not sure you read my post correctly. I mentioned specifically a surgeon who was wearing shoe covers, a hair cover, and a mask into the elevator and outside to buy himself lunch. See, you don't do that, you said so yourself.

As far as having time, I'm sure I have plenty (as much as you do, to write such a thoughtful response to my post). I mean I only work up to 75 hours a week, and gosh, I'm never on an elevator long enough to actually have an impression of somebody. And when I come home I only have a home to take care of, a spouse to spend time with, and you know, I'm pregnant so I'm exhausted all the time. But yeah, you're right, I have TONS of free time to sit around judging people.

You know, I never said that surgeons are arrogant. I'm sure some are and some aren't, just as with all people. You're obviously very sensitive, so I'm sorry I've hurt your sensitivities. I still think that anybody who walks out of a building wearing shoe covers, a hair cover, and a mask has ego issues.

(As far as the med students, I went on to correct myself for that. That was being too harsh, and as I even said originally, it is probably to a great deal out of convenience. I probably only had one bad experience and made the mistake of generalizing, and I'm sorry for that.)

Oh, and I'm addicted to sdn. Unfortunately I spend most of my "free" time, and time that I don't even have available, on here. I'll admit that. I was better for a while there but I've picked it back up somehow 😛

 

[Ypo.]

Oh, and I'm addicted to sdn. Unfortunately I spend most of my "free" time, and time that I don't even have available, on here. I'll admit that. I was better for a while there but I've picked it back up somehow 😛

...sigh...me too. All of the sudden, in the last month...I don't know how it happened? 😕

Oh, and I liked your post. When I get to third year, I'm going to be whipping off that short coat as soon as I get out of the hospital...I feel like a target in that thing! Actually I feel like a total poser-I KNOW I don't know anything!

If you don't mind me asking-how much time are you going to take off when the baby comes?

OK-I need to go study for my endocrinology test tommorrow.

 

[medgirl20]

Med students wearing their white coats everywhere is a major pet peeve of mine. Wear it when you need to wear it like seeing pts but don't wear it to lectures or to sit in the library when your finished for the day. We have lockers next to our library and lecture theatre so there is no need for it. We know you're a med student we're students too.

 

[Misterioso]

Med students who go on a "medical mission" to some 3rd world country for a few weeks during the summer after 1st year and then come and think they're Albert Schweitzer.

I mean how much relevant clinical medicine do you know after 1st year to be useful?

Falls under the category of resume padders.

 

[Law2Doc]

Med students who go on a "medical mission" to some 3rd world country for a few weeks during the summer after 1st year and then come and think they're Albert Schweitzer.

I mean how much relevant clinical medicine do you know after 1st year to be useful?

Falls under the category of resume padders.

I'm curious - and going to play devil's advocate here. Is it impossible to have a genuine interest in things like this (or altruism, or even dermatology) without being a "phony" or a "resume padder"? I get the sense that some of what you call "phony" is simply folks with totally different sensibilities than you. In your last few examples, you seem to associate all differences in goals and interests from yours as phony. This may be true of some, but I suspect you are sweeping in a lot of very genuine, non-phony people.
(Also I'm not clear as to why having things to put on the resume is necessarilly "padding". That assumes they only did it for the resume, which is perhaps the only reason YOU might do such thing, but maybe not them?)

 

[Freakedout]

I'm curious - and going to play devil's advocate here. Is it impossible to have a genuine interest in things like this (or altruism, or even dermatology) without being a "phony" or a "resume padder"? I get the sense that some of what you call "phony" is simply folks with totally different sensibilities than you. In your last few examples, you seem to associate all differences in goals and interests from yours as phony. This may be true of some, but I suspect you are sweeping in a lot of very genuine, non-phony people.
(Also I'm not clear as to why having things to put on the resume is necessarilly "padding". That assumes they only did it for the resume, which is perhaps the only reason YOU might do such thing, but maybe not them?)

Nicely Said. 🙂

 

[CANES2006]

Med students wearing their white coats everywhere is a major pet peeve of mine. Wear it when you need to wear it like seeing pts but don't wear it to lectures or to sit in the library when your finished for the day. We have lockers next to our library and lecture theatre so there is no need for it. We know you're a med student we're students too.

I wear my coat everywhere because my darn coat is so heavy that it would really suck carrying that thing around instead. Also, I wear my coat in the library because I don't have a locker and the library is freezing! 😀

My pet peeve is seeing graduates from the 2005 class (or earlier) not saying hi anymore because they are now residents. Give me a break! 🙄

 

[Misterioso]

I'm curious - and going to play devil's advocate here. Is it impossible to have a genuine interest in things like this (or altruism, or even dermatology) without being a "phony" or a "resume padder"? I get the sense that some of what you call "phony" is simply folks with totally different sensibilities than you. In your last few examples, you seem to associate all differences in goals and interests from yours as phony. This may be true of some, but I suspect you are sweeping in a lot of very genuine, non-phony people.
(Also I'm not clear as to why having things to put on the resume is necessarilly "padding". That assumes they only did it for the resume, which is perhaps the only reason YOU might do such thing, but maybe not them?)

There may be a very small minority of med students who are genuinely "altruistic" (if such a thing even exists...as altruism is usually done out of some self-interest anyway). But by in large most wouldn't do it if it didn't serve at least some ulterior motive (like helping their chances of getting a residency, making them "stand out" from other med students, etc).

It's kind of like all those med students who want competetive residencies asking about how they can get their name on a publication. They're not genuinely interested in research, but rather to give off the impression they are and impress residencies by having their name on a paper.

 

[Freakedout]

There may be a very small minority of med students who are genuinely "altruistic" (if such a thing even exists...as altruism is usually done out of some self-interest anyway). But by in large most wouldn't do it if it didn't serve at least some ulterior motive (like helping their chances of getting a residency, making them "stand out" from other med students, etc).

It's kind of like all those med students who want competetive residencies asking about how they can get their name on a publication. They're not genuinely interested in research, but rather to give off the impression they are and impress residencies by having their name on a paper.

Hypothetically lets say your right. Whats so bad about just playing the game. Don't Hate the player, Hate the game 🙄

 

[Misterioso]

Hypothetically lets say your right. Whats so bad about just playing the game. Don't Hate the player, Hate the game 🙄

Never said it was bad. Everybody plays the game to some degree or another. Anybody who says they haven't is lying.

 

[Law2Doc]

Never said it was bad. Everybody plays the game to some degree or another. Anybody who says they haven't is lying.

But you've created a Catch 22 here. If they play the game they are resume padding, and hence, phony. If they say they aren't playing the game they are lying, and hence also phony.

 

[Nittany Lion]

Med students wearing their white coats everywhere is a major pet peeve of mine. Wear it when you need to wear it like seeing pts but don't wear it to lectures or to sit in the library when your finished for the day. We have lockers next to our library and lecture theatre so there is no need for it. We know you're a med student we're students too.

I'll chime in on this one - my biggest pet peeve is when some of my classmates feel the need to wear their white coat/stethescope-around-neck get-up to CLASS (when they're presumably on their way to shadow in some kind of clinical setting) while everyone else is there in jeans and t-shirts. And, it's indoors in a nicely heated lecture hall, so they're probably not wearing it because it's cold, and we're first-years, so I know they're not wearing it because there's too much stuff in the pockets that they don't want to fall out. (And yes, I have a lot of time to take notice of this because I'm usually zoning out anyway during lecture 😉 ). It just annoys me because it seems like they just NEED everyone to realize that they're being super med students by volunteering their time to go to observe in the clinic/hospital while everyone else is just struggling to get through a day of lectures.

I personally don't think that medical students should even get a white coat at all until they pass the USMLE step 1 and are ready to begin third year. Even in situations where it's required that I wear it and all my other first-year classmates are wearing it, I feel like a phony. I'm afraid that if a patient or a staff member sees me wearing it, they'll assume I actually know something and ask me a medical question that I can't answer. I really don't feel that I have earned the white coat yet at all. Maybe it's just a personal insecurity of mine, who knows. But in all honesty, I think that white-coat ceremonies should take place after the boards are passed, as a rite of passage to mark the time when the basic science years are over and the students are ready to transition into the clinical phase of medical education.

 

[infiniti]

It's funny to see how some of you think. Since I am going into medicine for money or whatever, Mr. A, B, and C must be doing the same. Give me a break. Different people go into medicine for different reasons. The comment "only a few minority of student are altruistic" (or some other nonsense along that line) is totally unproven. Such statements show insecurities and perhaps a way to make peace with your own reason for going into medicine.

As for people surgeons wearing scrubs, and other things. You have to realize (as the surgical resident above stated) that people do whatever works for them. It is certainly not their duty to do things that will make you comfortable. Instead of generalizing why don;t you try to ask them why they do it.

SOmeone also commented that a recent graduate (now a graduate) doesn't say "hi" anymore. Think about it this way, when you enter another phase of life, you decide which set of people are important or unimportant to you. Perhaps you and others have simply become insignificant in the resident's life. This is sort of similar to the way people delete unimportant phone numbers from their mobile phones after graduation. While it was fun (or maybe not) knowing those people, it is simply the time to move on and have nothing to do with them anymore.

I basically agree with law2doc and others thinking along the same lines

 

[Misterioso]

But you've created a Catch 22 here. If they play the game they are resume padding, and hence, phony. If they say they aren't playing the game they are lying, and hence also phony.

Yep.

Nobody becomes a doctor without playing the game along the way.

 

[tigress]

But isn't life all about playing the game, in a way?

😛

 

[Law2Doc]

Yep.

Nobody becomes a doctor without playing the game along the way.

Erego, all physicians and future physicians are phonies in your book. 🙄

 

[Misterioso]

Erego, all physicians and future physicians are phonies in your book. 🙄

Why does it bother you so much? Are you one of the self-righteous ones who thinks they're 100% genuine?

 

[Law2Doc]

Why does it bother you so much? Are you one of the self-righteous ones who thinks they're 100% genuine?

LOL. It doesn't bother me at all. I'd hardly call myself "self righteous", and I'm not governed by altruism, although my motivations almost certainly don't match yours. You are welcome to your views, but certainly by starting a thread you are inviting responses from others who disagree with you. That's the nature of a public bulletin board, isn't it. 😕

But this post continues to demonstrate my and others' issues with your first statement -- as nothing discussed is 100%. 100% of folks with certain experiences are not phony. Perhaps a few are. 100% of folks don't go into medicine for the same reasons. Maybe not even 50%. Nor is anyone 100% genuine. 🙄

 

[Misterioso]

LOL. It doesn't bother me at all. I'd hardly call myself "self righteous", and I'm not governed by altruism, although my motivations almost certainly don't match yours. You are welcome to your views, but certainly by starting a thread you are inviting responses from others who disagree with you. That's the nature of a public bulletin board, isn't it. 😕

But this post continues to demonstrate my and others' issues with your first statement -- as nothing discussed is 100%. 100% of folks with certain experiences are not phony. Perhaps a few are. 100% of folks don't go into medicine for the same reasons. Maybe not even 50%. Nor is anyone 100% genuine. 🙄

Don't let it get to you so much. Nobody's completely genuine. Especially the people who are adament they are.

 

[Freakedout]

This thread went from thoughtful responses to taking shots at each other real quick lol

 

[Law2Doc]

This thread went from thoughtful responses to taking shots at each other real quick lol

What do you expect from phonys.

 

[Misterioso]

What do you expect from phonys.

Phonies

😛

 

[sacrament]

I mentioned specifically a surgeon who was wearing shoe covers, a hair cover, and a mask into the elevator and outside to buy himself lunch.

These people really irritate me. They'll wander all over the hospital with a face mask dangling around their neck... it isn't like they don't notice this stupid thing bouncing around under their chin. They'll go to the cafeteria and eat an entire meal with a poofy blue hairnet on, and food falling into their face mask. Gimme a break. The first thing I do after leaving the OR is tear all that crap off. "Look at me, I was in the operating room today!" Congratulations, nobody gives a sh1t.

 

[Darth Asclepius]

I'll chime in on this one - my biggest pet peeve is when some of my classmates feel the need to wear their white coat/stethescope-around-neck get-up to CLASS (when they're presumably on their way to shadow in some kind of clinical setting) while everyone else is there in jeans and t-shirts.

Maybe they're doing it because they didn't have time to change. I did that a couple of times. I took anatomy in the summer and had time to do an elective this fall. We still had a class going on that met once or twice a week, with small groups and sometimes lectures I was required to attend. So, I would get to the hospital by 6am, change into scrubs, round with the team, and go to the OR. If I had to go to a class, I would leave the OR for the time of the class (the med school is connected to the hospital). If I had taken the time to go to the locker room and change (and then change back), that would have added at least half an hour to the amount of time I was gone. We were supposed to wear the white coat with our scrubs when we weren't around the OR. I rarely saw someone in scrubs without a white coat somewhere else in the hospital. No stethoscope for me though- it would have been pointless to carry one since I don't really know enough for it to be useful yet as a first year (and you don't need a stethoscope to retract in the OR 😀 ). Maybe you should give them the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes it's just not convenient to change and if you take off the white coat when you get to the lecture hall, you're cold in scrubs and if you fold up the white coat stuff falls out of the pockets and it gets wrinkled. I did sort of feel strange in the scrubs/white coat outfit while everyone else was wearing jeans and a t-shirt 🙂

 

[Ypo.]

I personally don't think that medical students should even get a white coat at all until they pass the USMLE step 1 and are ready to begin third year. Even in situations where it's required that I wear it and all my other first-year classmates are wearing it, I feel like a phony. I'm afraid that if a patient or a staff member sees me wearing it, they'll assume I actually know something and ask me a medical question that I can't answer. I really don't feel that I have earned the white coat yet at all. Maybe it's just a personal insecurity of mine, who knows. But in all honesty, I think that white-coat ceremonies should take place after the boards are passed, as a rite of passage to mark the time when the basic science years are over and the students are ready to transition into the clinical phase of medical education.

I completely agree with you! And you are the first person ever (besides myself) that I have ever heard say that. I really wanted to skip my white coat ceremony, and I hate wearing my white coat, and I laugh quietly inside when I see my fellow medical students wearing the coats because they just look so silly! I feel like I'm 5 again, playing doctor. (except without the 'complete physical exam' under the picnic table in the backyard) 😍

 

[tigress]

yposhelley, I heard the funniest thing about "playing doctor" -- in real life, only the patient is naked

 

[PickyBicky]

I would love to have this much free time to attempt to examine the thoughts, attitudes and motives of others but my schedule does not permit this. I am afraid that most of my free time goes into study and keeping my SO happy.

njbmd 😎
arrogant surgeon

....but you have time to read random threads and write replies to such meaningless bantor as "do you wear scrubs outside the hospital environment to look cool?" Get over yourself surgery girl. Your post proves your full of ****.

-PB

 

[Ypo.]

yposhelley, I heard the funniest thing about "playing doctor" -- in real life, only the patient is naked

do share...

 

[Poety]

....but you have time to read random threads and write replies to such meaningless bantor as "do you wear scrubs outside the hospital environment to look cool?" Get over yourself surgery girl. Your post proves your full of ****.

-PB

I'm sure signing her name "arrogant surgeon" doesn't help either 🙄 😴 Its so old.... beyond old. Been done for YEARSSSSSS before any of these younguns were even in medical school, and yet they "want" to keep up the arsehole stigma, in fact they're proud 🙄 Now THATS phony pfffttttt

 

[Freakedout]

....but you have time to read random threads and write replies to such meaningless bantor as "do you wear scrubs outside the hospital environment to look cool?" Get over yourself surgery girl. Your post proves your full of ****.

-PB

Stop giving her so much crap you guys. 99% of her comments help alot of people from what I have noticed. 👍

 

[BooMed]

Why do you all care so much what other people do? 😕

It kind of makes you sound petty and insecure to be making fun of other people so much.

 

[Misterioso]

Why do you all care so much what other people do? 😕

It kind of makes you sound petty and insecure to be making fun of other people so much.

Why do you care so much about us caring about other people?

Makes you sound petty and insecure.

 

[BooMed]

Why do you care so much about us caring about other people?

Makes you sound petty and insecure.

Well you started it.

 

[tigress]

Why do you all care so much what other people do? 😕

It kind of makes you sound petty and insecure to be making fun of other people so much.

I'm sure you don't ever get annoyed by anything anybody does, right? Here on an internet forum we can vent about this random silly stuff. That way it bothers us less in real life.

 

[gwb]

I mentioned specifically a surgeon who was wearing shoe covers, a hair cover, and a mask into the elevator and outside to buy himself lunch.

huh? i do this all the time (as do the scrub techs, nurses, maintenance crew...). your scrubs and assorted gear do not need to be sterile, so as long as they're not nasty with blood and bodily fluids, there's no reason to keep changing them over and over between cases. this is especially true when i have 5 minutes to grab a bite, round on patients, go to the bathroom, and answer a million pages. as a busy surgery resident, i certainly don't have time to change my booties and retie my mask every single time i run out of the OR. and i certainly am not thinking twice about what sort of impressions i'm making...

 

[tigress]

huh? i do this all the time (as do the scrub techs, nurses, maintenance crew...). your scrubs and assorted gear do not need to be sterile, so as long as they're not nasty with blood and bodily fluids, there's no reason to keep changing them over and over between cases. this is especially true when i have 5 minutes to grab a bite, round on patients, go to the bathroom, and answer a million pages. as a busy surgery resident, i certainly don't have time to change my booties and retie my mask every single time i run out of the OR. and i certainly am not thinking twice about what sort of impressions i'm making...

Yeah, there's a difference between running between cases and walking leisurely out of the building to go buy lunch. Okay, maybe I'm wrong, I mean what do I know about surgery? But I've only seen this once, so if it were really so necessary why would that be the case?

But if I'm wrong, and this is completely normal, I'm sorry. I do still think it's weird though.

 

[Ypo.]

Here on an internet forum we can vent about this random silly stuff. That way it bothers us less in real life.

Exactly! 👍

 

[backrow]

What are the things you find phony/fake in medicine? Some things I've experienced:


A 3rd year med student pretending to want to go into the specialty that he/she is currently rotating in when they really have no intention of doing so.

I have to disagree with you here. I think this is called "Wardsmanship." You try telling the surgeon that you want to go into FP. Not all surgeons will tell you how dumb all FP's are, but there are enough out there to just make it easier to say "surgery" or "I'm not too sure yet."

Same thing with the other way around. If you tell IM or FP that you want to do surgery then you can get the same type of response. It is so much easier to just play the game.