Too Outgoing To Be A Pathologist!

[mosche]

Okay, I know that this is probably an odd situation, but here goes:

I'm presently doing an IM rotation, and I actually like it -- alot. The problem, however, is that while I do like it, it's not what I want to do for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, my attending has decided that IM is my calling! Further, she's even gone so far as to arrange for me to work with some big-wig at St. Jude's in Memphis -- in lieu of two weeks on the floors. I joked that she is just trying to get rid of me, and she informed me that she would be taking me and four of the residents personally.

I like the idea, I guess ( certainly I am narcissistic enough to enjoy the attention ). Unfortunately, I feel that I am being a bit disingenuous if I accept the offer.

I've told her several times: "I'm planning to do Pathology". To which she replies, "You're too outgoing to be a pathologist". BTW, my last rotation was Psych., and my attending there is the husband of my present attending. He, too, continually encouraged me to consider a different path -- pun intended! Today, he dropped by to encourage me to go to Memphis and to strongly consider IM -- I'll be much happier than I will be if I choose Pathology .

One last point: one of my friends, who is also on our team, is hurt that I was offered the opportunity at St. Jude's and not him, especially since it is well known that he plans to do IM!

I expected IM to suck, but this is NOT how I expected the rotation to turn out! Any suggestions? Please!

---

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[Doctor B.]

Stay the course! Don't let others choose your career for you. I had similar issues, though my attendings weren't as direct as yours, when I decided to do path. Many thought I should do FP or IM b/c I interacted well with patients. I wondered if I was wasting my skills but realized I could use the same interaction skills in pathology; you have to interact with surgeons, histotechs, PA's, etc every day. So don't feel like you're wasting your talents.

Unfortunately, despite telling your attending you're doing path, she's decided to send you away to some big IM place. Doing that doesn't obligate you to change your career choice. It's probably best just to do it because if you explain to her that you are going into path, final answer, and you aren't really excited about doing away IM stuff, you may come off as ungrateful, which you really aren't. You have to play the med school game just a little longer

 

[RyMcQ]

Unfortunately, my attending has decided that IM is my calling!

"You're too outgoing to be a pathologist".

I'm with Doctor B. Be strong! Stay the course. Do what is right for you personally.

The idea that you can only go into pathology if you are socially inept is irritating. As if you are wasting your social skills and charm by being a pathologist. Save those things for your friends and family. Most of the pathologists I know are people whose company I really enjoy. They serve their patients by making accurate diagnoses, by being able to communicate clearly with the clinicians, and by having the credibility to be a real partner with the clinicians. The idea that the world is going to be worse off if you make a "selfish" choice is ludicrous.

Unfortunately, I have seen the "calling" argument sway a few medical students who were considering pathology. Some people use that argument because they have to justify their miserable lives by imagining that they are uniquely qualified to fulfill their calling. And rest assured that there will be plenty of qualified doctors that will love IM and hate pathology. They just couldn't imagine sitting at a scope all day, etc, etc. So the whole system will keep chugging along just fine if you choose path.

 

[deschutes]

By all means go to Memphis! Floor medicine is a valuable experience - and if you enjoy it, you have nothing to lose. Think of that CV!

But that does not mean that you have to switch career plans.

I liked parts of every rotation that I did. But I just liked Path better.

The pathology department involves people working at very close quarters with one another. That requires solid interpersonal skills.

Before I started on the interview trail, I did a mock interview with the former head of dept at my program. He pointed out that aside from communicating patients' diagnoses to clinicians effectively, most complaints within the path dept stem from interpersonal conflict/abrasion. Therefore it is in the program's best interests to recruit residents who are good to work with.

Random thought: be wary of this IM attending's LOR if you are asking her for one - I would be concerned that she might disparage your choice of specialty in the letter. But that is just a thought.

As for the "calling"... during my interview yesterday I had a chance to meet and talk with the head here. He said that in his experience, there had only been two people who switched out of pathology - one who stopped doing medicine completely (apparently he wasn't meant to be in medicine in the first place) and another lady who made the switch to rural family to be in a location she wanted, for the sake of her family.

The converse, however, happens all the time. I know residents in radiology and peds who switched into path. I'm sure others here can think of numerous examples.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I say go to Memphis...don't talk back to your attending Seriously, I echo the already stated sentiments.

Floor medicine is a valuable experience

traitor

 

[deschutes]

traitor

Wanna do two weeks of Teams for me?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Wanna do two weeks of Teams for me?

No...be my guest. You're the one who finds floor medicine to be a valuable experience...you clearly want it more than I do.

 

[deschutes]

No...be my guest. You're the one who finds floor medicine to be a valuable experience...you clearly want it more than I do.

In the same way that World War II was a valuable experience.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

In the same way that World War II was a valuable experience.

 

[LADoc00]

Is St. Judes all that? Hey Im not from the South but its not like we are talking about path or the golden ticket to Harvard Dermatology right??

Be prepared to get paid less than me, have zero job security and work your butt if you do IM, and be prepared for lawsuits, John Edwards has a WHOLE LOT OF TIME on his hands now, and hes watching you, Focker.

A choice between path and IM is literally no choice at all. Come back when you realize derm or rads is your calling and we can talk.

 

[deschutes]

All I'm saying is that I can see why floor medicine is important and while I certainly don't want to do it, others who can or want to shouldn't be discouraged from it.

 

[yaah]

Too outgoing? Bah. I heard the same claptrap my whole 4th year. Too bad you're not doing this. You're so great with people. You have a way with patients. It would be a waste to go into path. Blah blah blah. You know what, I may very well have been somewhat happy doing internal med, and learned to appreciate it more and all, but I still think most of it, residency in particular would have been a complete and total virtual depants-ing.

Pathologists are not all sullen losers who sit in their windowless offices avoiding all human contact and blinking in the light. Having a personality, and many may be surprised to hear this, actually helps in pathology as well. There are lots of interdepartmental interactions and other such things. It also requires a good mind, work ethic, and creativity at times.

And you know what? Having a personality doesn't help a ton in medicine anyway. You'd think it does, but honestly it doesn't make much difference. The patients will continue to come, and will still sue you if you are wrong. Some people don't even want their doctor to be friendly. And frankly, if you can't have a friendly conversation with a potential patient then you probably shouldn't even be in med school.

Everybody has lots of gifts. It is YOUR choice how to use them and refine them. It is nice when someone compliments you and advises you, but they don't know everything about you.

 

[jeff2005]

I love people and I'm known to be quite gregarious. I'm going into Path.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I got the same crap during my M3 year. I really liked almost all of the patients I met and took care of and many of them liked me. This was one of the obstacles in my decision making process to go into pathology. Not all the patronizing "you're nice...you have nice bedside manner" crap from the attendings who gave me Pass grades anyway.

How the hell are the attendings supposed to know?!? They don't see me interacting with patients.

 

[yaah]

You guys all realize our forum is going to pass their forum probably sometime fairly soon. We are now only ~300 posts behind. And only ~800 behind the Gasbags. And half the IM posts are entitled "I AM USIMG WHAT MY CHANCES IN MATCH AT THIS PROGRAM THANK U MY BOARD SCORE 200 I AM SMART AND WORK HARD"

 

[b&ierstiefel]

You guys all realize our forum is going to pass their forum probably sometime fairly soon. We are now only ~300 posts behind. And only ~800 behind the Gasbags. And half the IM posts are entitled "I AM USIMG WHAT MY CHANCES IN MATCH AT THIS PROGRAM THANK U MY BOARD SCORE 200 I AM SMART AND WORK HARD"

Wow! Slap my a$$ and throw me a twinkie! I hadn't been paying attention but the numbers don't lie. And we are now one post closer .

They won't be able to stop this path juggernaut!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

OK...staying the course on this thread (after inevitable derailment )...

I've reflected, several times, on this issue regarding 3rd year since having completed it several months ago. And I've had to ask myself the following:
(a) "Did I not like the clinical subject matters?"
(b) "Did I not like the kind of work that I saw my resident peers doing?"
(c) "Or did I not like being a 3rd year student?"

As I think more and more, I think (c) applies to me most. The fact that there were evaluations looming over my head and that I felt I was under the microscope all the time was disconcerting. The sense of obligation to do extra little and uneducational things just because I felt that my grade would suffer if I didn't do them was just painful. Trying to look busy although I was really picking my nose and constructing snot figurines was really boring and frustrating. Being afraid to go off to study and try to do decently on shelf exams because I would be spanked by my resident for not being around...OK that's an exaggeration but you get the drift .

(b) also applied during some of the rotations, more on internal medicine and peds. The more surgical rotations like OB/Gyn and Gen Surg were more enjoyable (but we got to go to the frozen rooms and see the path side of things )
(a) very little as I thought learning the material was challenging and rewarding. all in all, the rotations in and of themselves were important experiences.

Personally, I was happier during 4th year (although I unfortunately had to do medicine subIs...in retrospect, I would've had a better time on surgical subIs...but oh well. C'est la vie).

It is unfortunate that in many institutions, pathology is relegated to being a 4th year elective. Sure, it isn't a popular enough rotation to warrant being a core rotation and many people treat it as a joke rotation. That's fine. From my perspective, the problem is that during our 3rd year, we only got to do one elective month during our general surgery clerkship. Pathology (and radiology) was not an option although other fields such as Emergency Medicine and Anesthesiology were. I hope that, in the future, students here and at other institutions will have at least the option of doing a pathology or rads rotation during 3rd year.

ok i'm rambling...time to stop.

Addendum: After derailing the thread and then rambling above, I totally forgot to address the original question at hand (although I meant to really). Mosche, I recommend that you go to Memphis. During 3rd year rotations, you have a lot of material to learn especially during IM. If your attending feels that doing some work at Memphis will be of educational benefit, go with it. You are fortunate to have an attending that looks kindly to you and sees you in a favorable light. Use it for what it's worth because this kind of support comes seldomly (clinicians are very busy people and many are just not into mentoring budding physicians).

 

[mosche]

WOW! I just read this thread and am overwhelmed at the nice, positive, supportive responses. I discussed the Memphis dilemma with my classmate who is planning to go into IM, he encouraged me to go to Memphis and assured me that there are no hard feelings ( I bought his lunch yesterday -- I'm not above buying my friends ).

Someone, I think it was LAdoc, asked if St. Jude's is really all-that. Not really, although they have a cult-like following in the South. The big opportunity is the physician with whom I/we will be shadowing -- he is on staff at MGH and does much cancer research. To be honest, being from the South, really intelligent/educated Northerners intimidate me; thus, I think/hope that the experience will give me the confidence to consider some of the more competitive Boston and Ivy League residencies. Who knows, perhaps he'll be a jerk and I'll go back in me cave until next Spring!

Again, thanks for all the encouragement. If there is one thing that seems to always reconfirm my loyalty to Path., it is the people in Path.. Yaah pointed out that we are nearing the number of posts on the IM thread. I bet we are nowhere near the number of argumentative, rude, non-productive posts.

 

[RyMcQ]

And you know what? Having a personality doesn't help a ton in medicine anyway. You'd think it does, but honestly it doesn't make much difference.

One other thought that makes this statement truer than you probably realize: As a medical student, I often had time to sit with patients and to really connect with them. It was the thing that made IM enjoyable for me. Do you think attendings really get that same opportunity? More and more, internists are squeezed for time. When you only have a couple of minutes to interact with a patient, what are the odds that something really fulfilling is going to come out of that kind of relationship?

My own internist, upon learning that I was going to be a pathologist, said, "You know, I love internal medicine, but after a few years, it's just a job and I wish I had more time to spend with my family. I think considering lifestyle issues is important."

 

[salt]

:

 

[yaah]

Alright gee whiz, it's not meant to insult people because they can't speak english. I just find it amusing that there is a never ending parade of posts on this site from people asking what their chances are. And yes, most of them have poor grammar and don't use capital or lowercase letters properly. But you know what? Probably most of them are from Americans. I don't need a lecture on people working hard and trying to better themselves, especially because so many youngsters growing up in this country could care less about working hard or educating themselves and would rather try to be an American Idol or spend their days contemplating which place to get pierced or tattoed next. And it is completely futile to EVER compare peoples' hardships. Do I know what it is like to have to go to another country penniless and work hard and earn respect all the time speaking a second language? Of course not. But that doesn't mean I don't deserve to be a doctor. And just because someone is penniless and coming over from another country and is willing to work hard doesn't mean that they should be given carte blanche either.

It's the same as all of those applying to med schools, only they all just post I GOT 28 MCAT THIS GOOD ENOUGH FOR IVY LEAGUE? NEED IVY LEAGUE HAVE TO GET DERMATOLOGY RESIDENCY. And these people speak perfectly good english, at least they are supposed to be able to. Obviously, everyone doesn't share my sense of humor. There is nothing malicious about any of it. As I have said, anyone who wants to make fun of me has free reign. You can make polish jokes, irish jokes, Massachusetts liberal jokes, anti-social pathologist jokes, tall people jokes, socially inept jokes, dirty jokes, clean jokes, I don't care. I am old enough to realize that it doesn't matter.

But of course, I realize it does to some people, so I will delete those posts. Sorry if i offended anyone.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

As I have said, anyone who wants to make fun of me has free reign. You can make polish jokes, irish jokes, Massachusetts liberal jokes, anti-social pathologist jokes, tall people jokes, socially inept jokes, dirty jokes, clean jokes, I don't care.

GIDDY UP!

we now have an anti-yaah joke thread

 

[salt]

Alright gee whiz, it's not meant to insult people because they can't speak english. I just find it amusing that there is a never ending parade of posts on this site from people asking what their chances are. And yes, most of them have poor grammar and don't use capital or lowercase letters properly. But you know what? Probably most of them are from Americans. I don't need a lecture on people working hard and trying to better themselves, especially because so many youngsters growing up in this country could care less about working hard or educating themselves and would rather try to be an American Idol or spend their days contemplating which place to get pierced or tattoed next. And it is completely futile to EVER compare peoples' hardships. Do I know what it is like to have to go to another country penniless and work hard and earn respect all the time speaking a second language? Of course not. But that doesn't mean I don't deserve to be a doctor. And just because someone is penniless and coming over from another country and is willing to work hard doesn't mean that they should be given carte blanche either.

It's the same as all of those applying to med schools, only they all just post I GOT 28 MCAT THIS GOOD ENOUGH FOR IVY LEAGUE? NEED IVY LEAGUE HAVE TO GET DERMATOLOGY RESIDENCY. And these people speak perfectly good english, at least they are supposed to be able to. Obviously, everyone doesn't share my sense of humor. There is nothing malicious about any of it. As I have said, anyone who wants to make fun of me has free reign. You can make polish jokes, irish jokes, Massachusetts liberal jokes, anti-social pathologist jokes, tall people jokes, socially inept jokes, dirty jokes, clean jokes, I don't care. I am old enough to realize that it doesn't matter.

But of course, I realize it does to some people, so I will delete those posts. Sorry if i offended anyone.

Well, I just thought the comment was a cheap shot, and a needless one. With a little more effort you probably could have made your point, whatever that was, in a less mocking and less prejudicial way. I guess people who use poor syntax and improper capitalization are not the only ones who use the English language thoughtlessly.

 

[yaah]

Everyone uses the english language improperly. It is becoming a lost art. In fact, many who speak it as a second language use it better and more effectively than the majority of native english speakers.

These forums are supposed to be fun, and a diversion. But I apologize - I can see if someone might take offense, although honestly I am not trying to do that. Obviously everyone deserves respect. I supplicate myself before you all in humble forgiveness! I won't do it again.

No more insensitive jokes.

The only people left to make fun of are Massachusetts liberals. And they are boring as all get out.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

So does this mean I can't make fun of my own peoples' accent and phonemes?

Seriously though, it seems like in this world of political correctness almost anything we say can be construed the wrong way by anyone for various reasons. Hate to break it to ya but you can't please everyone...so keep on keepin' on!

 

[Stinger86]

That's pretty funny: Ridiculing people who don't speak English as a first language and are seeking to better their lives, often through making gargantuan personal sacrifices that you will probably never, ever have to consider.

Now you've done it, yaah. You were so offensive, you even forced a 0+ poster to double his/her posts in outrage.

Salt, no one on this particular forum goes out of their way to offend anyone. Yaah's comment was humorous in the sense that a person would find it to be rather spot-on if he'd just visit many of the other forums (especially IM). Lighten up-- you'll live longer and undergo fewer CABG's

 

[xanthines]

Yeah, if relatively anonymous random postings on an internet board raise your blood pressure this much, what's going to happen to you when a mother of 5 insists on antibiotics for the flu? Hee hee, I imagine you getting red in the face and yelling into a biosaftey suit helmet a la Homer of the Simpsons:

Yes (getting red), that's quite a pickle. Excuse me. (yells into a helmet for a minute or so.) Very calmly: I will send Bart a ticket home and then kill him.

Besides, every pathologist I know (all 5 of them) are very outgoing and personable. Pathologists still have to work with other pathologists and technicians, so some people skills are actually quite handy.

-X

Lighten up-- you'll live longer and undergo fewer CABG's

 

[yaah]

Xanthines - you are listed as "in front of the microscope." I was always told that one sits behind the microscope. The tissue is in front of it. I consider "in front of the microscope" to be when I wander into someone's office while they are signing out and I stand there until they look up and acknowledge me.

I don't know. Weird. I just thought of that when I was looking at that last post. See - I just changed my location so that we could have a battle and see which one looks right, because now I am thinking yours is more appropriate. I guess we could be at the same scope though.

Thank you all for your support. But honestly I will watch what I say.

BTW - the mother of 5 who demands antibiotics for the flu probably also will refuse vaccination for the measles. I had a patient like that in pediatrics. I did a rotation near Foxboro stadium (where the patriots play) and near where former Pats QBs Doug Flutie and Scott Zolak live. Flutie has an autistic son, and Zolak is very interested, not sure if he has a relative. But LOTS of parents there were highly against vaccinations. Then there was an outbreak of whooping cough while I was there. Cause and effect!

 

[deschutes]

Salt, to add an FMG's voice to the thread, I didn't find yaah's original comment to be derogatory towards FMG's being unable to SPAEK ENGLISH IN SMALL LETERS (since we know that this happens regardless of nationality/ethnicity etc.) inasmuch as it was a spot-on observation, reflecting posters' behaviours on these forums.

In fact, IMHO yaah walks the line between humour and seriousness so adeptly that I am rather afraid of him

By the way, we sit AT a microscope. Neither in front nor behind it

 

[xanthines]

What a wonderful metaphysical discussion we could have! Who's in front of where?

Anyway, yeah, those type of people are the ones that would decline the flu/MMR/DPT shots, but insist on vaccinia "just in case." (!!!!!)

To keep the Simpsons theme going:

Dr. Hibbert[addressing the growing mob in front of the clinic]: Why the only cure is bedrest. Anything else I give you would only be a placebo!

Woman: Where do we get these placebos!?

[Mob hilarity ensues]

-X

PS Where are you when using the multi-user scopes? You know, the one with 2 sets of oculars so the attending can point to that one little cancerous cell you missed?

Xanthines - you are listed as "in front of the microscope." I was always told that one sits behind the microscope. The tissue is in front of it. I consider "in front of the microscope" to be when I wander into someone's office while they are signing out and I stand there until they look up and acknowledge me.

I don't know. Weird. I just thought of that when I was looking at that last post. See - I just changed my location so that we could have a battle and see which one looks right, because now I am thinking yours is more appropriate. I guess we could be at the same scope though.

Thank you all for your support. But honestly I will watch what I say.

BTW - the mother of 5 who demands antibiotics for the flu probably also will refuse vaccination for the measles. I had a patient like that in pediatrics. I did a rotation near Foxboro stadium (where the patriots play) and near where former Pats QBs Doug Flutie and Scott Zolak live. Flutie has an autistic son, and Zolak is very interested, not sure if he has a relative. But LOTS of parents there were highly against vaccinations. Then there was an outbreak of whooping cough while I was there. Cause and effect!

 

[Doctor B.]

Where are you when using the multi-user scopes? You know, the one with 2 sets of oculars so the attending can point to that one little cancerous cell you missed?

Up s**t creek without a paddle

Yaah, don't sweat your posts, man. Anyone who has seen your previous posts knows you're not racist, overtly offensive or mean-spirited. I thought the posts were funny. There are folks of all nationalities that post in terrible english and you were just making an observation.

 

[yaah]

By the way, we sit AT a microscope. Neither in front nor behind it

And the truth shall set us free! Oddly, that was what I initially had on my location. As with all situations, the first impression is usually the correct one. I tried sitting on the microscope once but I got in trouble.

And xanthines - my favorite "health conscious and aware" individual story is one from a few years back. I grew up somewhat near a nuclear power plant. I believe I was not in the fallout zone, but neighboring towns closer to the water were. And they had a day where they decided to offer iodine pills to those in the fallout zone, because in the event of a nuclear disaster, hopefully they could prevent thyroid cancers. They showed pictures of lines of people waiting for their iodine pills. Many of them were smoking. MUCH better to get a fatal lung cancer than a nuisance papillary thyroid cancer! (yes I am aware that radiation-induced thyroid cancer has a higher chance of being malignant and deadly. But this is still relative, like the cost of living in Iowa City).


I like that Simpsons episode:
Maybe they're in this truck!
**tips over truck to reveal crates of "killer bees" and eats one***
I'm cured! I mean, Ouch!

Deschutes in America we spell behavior without the U.

Oh, shut up, Yaah

Sorry.

 

[deschutes]

I tried sitting on the microscope once but I got in trouble.

That would be expensive painful trouble.

Have you noticed how staff pathologists tend to rest their elbows on the multihead-connectors and look thoughtful? Exercices ? la barre...

Deschutes in America we spell behavior without the U.

I realize that, yaah. But my butt is sitting in America right now, and I just spelt "behaviour" twice over with the darling "u", thank you very much. Now shut up, do - or I will be forced to become incensed by your cheap needless mocking and prejudicial comments against IMGs!

My favourite people tend to be those whom I cannot tell whether they are being serious or pulling my leg.

 

[yaah]

My favourite people tend to be those

You did it again.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Now shut up, do - or I will be forced to become incensed by your cheap needless mocking and prejudicial comments against IMGs!

Wow...somebody's getting a bit worked up. Go eat some sushi...it'll brighten up your day.

 

[Doctor B.]

Personally, I like the British spelling of things more; it looks cooler for some reason.

Realise. Favour. Haemorrhage. Foetus.

Okay, maybe it doesn't always.

 

[yaah]

I do too actually, I just enjoy her reactions.

The best one is Oesophagus.

The foetus has an Oesophageal Haemorrhage!

What?

 

[salt]

?

 

[moxy]

Salt,

1. Yaah apologized already.

2. Honestly, you get credit for posting your opinion on this board just because you participated in the discussion. I mean look at LADoc00 opinions and statements throughout this forum. Honestly, I think those tend to be more hostile, yet he is one of the brethren and sometimes his viewpoint is refreshing because it is different.

3. Yes sometimes the forums here are weird or silly or irrelevent or serious or contemplative. So what. This forum is a place where people with a lot of similarities and some differences (read the Bush/Kerry poll forum) just throw an observation or an idea out there. It's nice because I think it reflects not only how intelligent we are, but how varied and interesting pathologists can be. To me it reflects the creative element in us that can appreciate colors, patterns, smells and textures that we experience daily in path.

4. And FMGs are not the only ones who have issues to work against. As a female I've been referred to as a nurse (I gently correct) and being Hispanic, I've also been referred to as an aid/housekeeping or assumed that I'm bilingual when I am not. But it happens. It is not a reflection of me but of those who choose to define me before the know me. Sure we have some "board scores, competitive programs" strings but not nearly as much as the IM people. And maybe it is because of the difference in the number of programs. I tend to think its probably the different personalities that gravitate to the specialties.

5. As far as not liking clinical medicine, well at least we know we don't want to do it. There really are some, if not many medicine attendings, who have no business doing patient care. People say their remarks are "to let off a little steam" . Not always, hell not even mostly.

M

 

[moxy]

Hey I made 10+ posts!!!!

M

 

[xanthines]

See butt plugs.
See also wine bottles.
See also hamster.

I tried sitting on the microscope once but I got in trouble.

See bowel obstruction.
See also impacted colon.

"Funny" isn't the right word, but it's the first one to come to mind.

-X

 

[yaah]

Message boards are fun! You don't have to criticize CSI or clinical medicine. You don't have to conform to anything. No one would ever ask that. All viewpoints are welcome unless they are outright hostile.

As for insecure people in vulnerable situations, well the last thing I am going to say on the matter is that insecure people in vulnerable situations should not be going on anonymous internet boards looking for gratification or verification. That comes with professionalism and doing a good job. No one has ever advanced or faltered in their career, to my knowledge, from something said on a lively internet forum (unless they start breaking laws by trying to pick up 15 year olds). Sure, there should be rules, but we can't look to protect absolutely everyone from all opinions that are out there.

For all I know, half of you all are convicts doing 15-20 in Bridgewater State for bank fraud or using your neighbor's head as an ash tray, and you just happen to have opinions and some knowledge of pathology. For all you know, the same could be true about me.

And we are not necessarily smarter than those in internal medicine. Just more highly evolved.

 

[Doctor B.]

As far as being a 0+ poster, I suppose I could boost my post count by tapping out a few, or maybe many, ruminations on the many fine qualities of my own feces, or congratulate myself ad nauseum on how much smarter I am than all those other fools who chose to pursue careers in non-pathology areas of medicine, or stamp my virtual feet in exasperation because the numbskull public just don?t seem to get that real life pathology ain?t no CSI. Would that get me some cred? on the board?

Yeah it will. And so will your sarcasm

 

[deschutes]

You did it again.

Yep. And with complete and total awareness, unlike Britney!

I do like the "z" (zed) in "realize". It's such a wee letter, tucked at the end of the alphabet, that doesn't get used much. I like bringing it out of hiding.

Wow...somebody's getting a bit worked up.

No work up. No blood draw. No consult either.

Heh. If you choose to take me literally, then I will you too

No one has ever advanced or faltered in their career, to my knowledge, from something said on a lively internet forum.

Taking "career" in its broadest definition - I did base a number of my decisions re: where to apply and where not by some of the things said on this forum.
But those were ultimately my decisions - I take full responsibility for them and flatter myself that even if they weren't well-thought-out, they were at least thought about.
And even then I'm not sure if it has any impact on where I will eventually end up.

~
I think the point of contention, is intention.

The posters who responded have probably seen enough of yaah and his posts to be convinced (pardon me if I am speaking for others when I shouldn't be!) that the un-PC/indecent (I don't know what to call it) comment was not meant sneeringly, even if it was worded so. At any rate he took it back, and promised he wouldn't do it again - so we get to watch him, eagle-eyed!

In my experience the people who ask about their residency prospects on the path forum usually have their questions answered.

I won't be the first to have thought that maybe we're all just a bunch of self-congratulating twats who sit around massaging each others' egos. But I'm fine with thinking that, and so are a lot of the people here - which is why it's such a great place to hang out!

Salt, I will stand on my head if that makes you post.

P.S. Someone please explain to me the concept of the Massachusetts liberal?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I won't be the first to have thought that maybe we're all just a bunch of self-congratulating twats who sit around massaging each others' egos. But I'm fine with thinking that, and so are a lot of the people here - which is why it's such a great place to hang out!

OMFG you said the word "****" !!! Coming from you ... well ... my respect for you continues to rise.

 

[deschutes]

OMFG you said the word "****" !!! Coming from you ... well ... my respect for you continues to rise.

I actually meant twit

 

[b&ierstiefel]

sure you did...you called me a firewire earlier...YOU are the bomb!

 

[yaah]

P.S. Someone please explain to me the concept of the Massachusetts liberal?

Somehow, during the last election, it became synonymous with a politician (or a non politician, I guess) who is "out of touch" with "mainstream american" and "mainstream american values." Notice the florid use of quotes.

Because Kerry is from Massachusetts, as is Ted Kennedy, as are a couple of other congressmen like Barney Frank. All of these men are considered by some parts of the country to be elitist and trying to tell others how to live their lives. It comes up a lot with the whole gay marriage issue, of which Massachusetts is a central location for controversy. The site of "activist judges" who are supposedly rewriting the laws instead of interpreting them (although, one might notice that many people who complain about activist judges are the same ones who are trying to get judges appointed who favor overturning Roe v Wade, allowing more religion into public life, etc, which sounds just as activist to me!).

Thus, "Massachusetts Liberal" has become a buzzword that conservatives and others are using to label a candidate as not representative of mainstream america. Of course, last time I checked, America was more than just the central part of the country, it did include the coasts. But I think it is because a lot of decisions and political power in the past have come out of the northeast, and many people are sick of it. No doubt in 25 years when another political cycle goes around, the term will be replaced by "southern conservative" as the buzzword for an out of touch, old fashioned politician who doesn't deserve one's vote.

It's a weird political system.

 

[flyingillini]

I do too actually, I just enjoy her reactions.

The best one is Oesophagus.

The foetus has an Oesophageal Haemorrhage!

What?

bahahahaha

that one made me laugh out loud

 

[salt]

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