Who are the most intelligent doctors in the hospital?

[placebo_B12]

Just curious who you guys think are the smartest doctors in the hospital by specialty. I'm a resident, and we were having a discussion on what specialty we thought tended to be the brightest overall or most impressive.

PS This is meant to be fun... not a pissing war.

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[APACHE3]

Just kidding...probably nephrologist...IMHO!

 

[waterski232002]

I would have to say Critical Care (MICU), Trauma Surgery, CT surgery... all manage extremely sick patients, that can be very complicated. They handle what other services can't, or won't.

 

[waterski232002]

Don't forget to post whatever your "other" is... I'm interested in what subspecialties were overlooked when it comes to brilliance! The OP had a pretty inclusive list.

 

[southerndoc]

I'm actually impressed by the minutia that radiologists know.

 

[Rael]

Proctologists.

 

[em232002]

I'm actually impressed by the minutia that radiologists know.

Agree... They need to know tons of anatomy, pathology, and they know a surprising amount of pathophysiology also.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

neurologists

 

[uhoh!]

Pathologists.

 

[quidnunc]

family doc w/ hospital privileges, of course.

 

[rajvosa]

IM docs

 

[Poety]

neurologists

I second that

 

[GoofyDoc]

I'll tell you who it isn't - the neurosurgeon. Once while I was doing my psych rotation (I was on the C/L service), I had pulled up a chair next to a patient to interview him (this was a competency case b/c pt was refusing brain biopsy for tumor). Now I am a white female, 24 y-o at that time, and the patient was a black male in his late 30s. The neurosurgeon happened to walk into teh room in the middle of my interview with the patient. As soon as he saw me he got all excited and asked me "So you're the patient's mother?" I just sat their waiting him to laugh because I thought it was a joke, but he was looking at me with anticipation and I realized he was serious, so I just replied "No," and he was like "Damn!" I would have thought that if our appearances weren't enough for him to figure this out, at least my short white coat with the school badge would have given it away.

 

[TommyGunn04]

I'm actually impressed by the minutia that radiologists know.

I second this. It's such a competitive field that they're ridiculously smart people, from what I've seen. I'm sure it varies from place to place though.

 

[p53]

I'll tell you who it isn't - the neurosurgeon. Once while I was doing my psych rotation (I was on the C/L service), I had pulled up a chair next to a patient to interview him (this was a competency case b/c pt was refusing brain biopsy for tumor). Now I am a white female, 24 y-o at that time, and the patient was a black male in his late 30s. The neurosurgeon happened to walk into teh room in the middle of my interview with the patient. As soon as he saw me he got all excited and asked me "So you're the patient's mother?" I just sat their waiting him to laugh because I thought it was a joke, but he was looking at me with anticipation and I realized he was serious, so I just replied "No," and he was like "Damn!" I would have thought that if our appearances weren't enough for him to figure this out, at least my short white coat with the school badge would have given it away.

N=1

 

[doctorlarry]

I second that

Neurologist of course

 

[Hurricane]

Another vote for neurologists, aka NERDologists!

 

[penguins]

Neurologists
They aren't usually skilled socially though

 

[medgator]

A regular IM doc? To be a good internist, you have to be d**ned smart.

 

[mellow yellow]

The answer is obvious... Internal Medicine! How can you even begin to practice good medicine as a IM subspecialist (cards, gi, heme-onc) if you aren't a great internist? Internists are the only doc who truly have to know something about nearly every area of aspect of medical care from pathophys to dx, to management! and much much more.

 

[OSUdoc08]

The answer is obvious... Internal Medicine! How can you even begin to practice good medicine as a IM subspecialist (cards, gi, heme-onc) if you aren't a great internist? Internists are the only doc who truly have to know something about nearly every area of aspect of medical care from pathophys to dx, to management! and much much more.

Wow you just defined emergency medicine physicians. The only difference is EM physicians can manage trauma patients in addition to medicine patients.

 

[hdu]

I am recalling an old joke in my hospital:

Internists know everything but do not solve anything.
Surgeons do not know anything, but solve everything.
Psychiatrist do not know anything and do not solve anything.

 

[penguins]

I am recalling an old joke in my hospital:

Internists know everything but do not solve anything.
Surgeons do not know anything, but solve everything.
Psychiatrist do not know anything and do not solve anything.

I think you might have just started a fight....

 

[OldPsychDoc]

I am recalling an old joke in my hospital:

Internists know everything but do not solve anything.
Surgeons do not know anything, but solve everything.
Psychiatrist do not know anything and do not solve anything.

Yet internists and surgeons are always MORE than willing to call us in (to actually talk to the patient ) when the patient is too "difficult" for them to manage.

Go figure.

 

[Mumpu]

How about general internists? They have nearly the same depth of knowledge as the specialists... ALL of the different specialists, that is.

 

[OSUdoc08]

How about general internists? They have nearly the same depth of knowledge as the specialists... ALL of the different specialists, that is.

They only treat medicine patients.

What about surgical/trauma patients?

































EM

 

[dinosaurcrumpet]

All specialists are useless outside their niche. Generalists lack depth of knowledge in any field.

Therefore, all doctors in the hospital are equally dumb.

 

[Hurricane]

Psychiatrist do not know anything and do not solve anything.

Pbbbbbt!

 

[kutastha]

The answer is obvious... Internal Medicine! How can you even begin to practice good medicine as a IM subspecialist (cards, gi, heme-onc) if you aren't a great internist? Internists are the only doc who truly have to know something about nearly every area of aspect of medical care from pathophys to dx, to management! and much much more.

By this regard, wouldn't a Med/Peds trained physician be even more intelligent?

 

[Khione]

All specialists are useless outside their niche. Generalists lack depth of knowledge in any field.

Therefore, all doctors in the hospital are equally dumb.

 

[ericdopt]

Obviously, this question is extremely subjective. However, I vote IM. Not only do they have to know (and mentally pleasure themselves in doing so) all of the medical differentials...they have to put up with all of the Psych issues. Yes, I'm on another medicine month again, and I would say 90% of my patients have at least 1 undiagnosed psych disorder. This is the reason I chose Radiology and not IM or Psych. You people have to be saints to do this stuff day after day. My hat is off to those of you who chose this path.

 

[waterski232002]

I am recalling an old joke in my hospital:

Internists know everything but do not solve anything.
Surgeons do not know anything, but solve everything.
Psychiatrist do not know anything and do not solve anything.

you've got it wrong...

Internests know everything and do nothing
Surgeons know nothing and do everything
Pathologyist know everything and do everything, but it's too late (the patient is already DEAD!!!)

 

[penguins]

you've got it wrong...

Internests know everything and do nothing
Surgeons know nothing and do everything
Pathologyist know everything and do everything, but it's too late (the patient is already DEAD!!!)

I like the last one!

 

[deleted52758]

dr house. he's brillant.

 

[OSUdoc08]

dr house. he's brillant.

He may have "book smarts", but his abhorrent behavior towards patients makes him the least intelligent doctor I've ever seen.

 

[JackBauERfan]

dr house. he's brillant.

My exact thoughts. Even though he did get kicked out of johns hopkins for cheating of that guy (yeah I know i'm a dork and have been watching 'house').

 

[Dr.Nick Riveria]

I am recalling an old joke in my hospital:

Internists know everything but do not solve anything.
Surgeons do not know anything, but solve everything.
Psychiatrist do not know anything and do not solve anything.

I've heard that too, but with the addition:
Pathologists know everything and solve everything.
Note:I am going into pathology.




oops: I didn't scroll down see someone else already responded

 

[penguins]

My exact thoughts. Even though he did get kicked out of johns hopkins for cheating of that guy (yeah I know i'm a dork and have been watching 'house').

I like watching it sometimes because my friends/family think I am smart when I have figured out the diagnosis by the 2nd commercial break.

 

[Trifling Jester]

Internists. That one wasn't listed, so I voted nephrologist - those guys have to know everything.

 

[amarula]

I vote med-peds.

 

[toofache32]

I've heard that too, but with the addition:
Pathologists know everything and solve everything.
Note:I am going into pathology.

I think it's "Pathologists know everything but they're too late."

 

[toofache32]

Wow you just defined emergency medicine physicians. The only difference is EM physicians can manage trauma patients in addition to medicine patients.

Yeah if you call "management" paging the surgeons.

 

[Beck928]

You should've included the anesthesiologists (I'm biased here) but many, esp the critical care anesthesiologists are hella smart.

 

[tec]

I'm voting for the nerdy neurologists. That's one of the reasons why I love the field

 

[SHRINK_MD]

I think a tossup between nephro and neuro: both ultra-nerdy specialties
But someone told me of a study (I cannot confirm, but it's plausible) showing that psychiatrists actually have the highest IQ among all medical specialties

 

[person2006]

I think a tossup between nephro and neuro: both ultra-nerdy specialties
But someone told me of a study (I cannot confirm, but it's plausible) showing that psychiatrists actually have the highest IQ among all medical specialties

Maybe.
Most posters have converted the question from who's the most intelligent to who is the most learned about medical information. Not the same thing!

 

[undecided3yr]

neurologists

I agree with this, they are one of the last specialties who can figure out almost any lesion just by symptoms and if needed physical exam

 

[surgdia]

The most intelligent people in the hospital are likely not the physicians (sorry everyone). Intelligence and hard work/discipline/motivation/learned knowledge are different beasts.
I am impressed by some nephrologists and critical care docs who care for very sick patients with multiple comorbidities, etc.
As far as raw, untamed intelligence and aptitude, maybe rad onc or CT surgeons.
sd

 

[ruthmd]

Got to go with amarula and kutastha... med/peds! Agree with all the posters about internists, however, internists can't deal with the under-21 set. Med/Peds have to know everything about everyone, and be prepared to handle all of it.

 

[Poety]

Yet internists and surgeons are always MORE than willing to call us in (to actually talk to the patient ) when the patient is too "difficult" for them to manage.

Go figure.

The IRONY here is that 40% of our board exam is NEUROLOGY - and theres a ton of people saying neurologists are the smartest DUH!

Oh, and you'd have to be pretty smart to work 40/wk and make more than the hospitalists working 80 right?