It looks like my previous post didn't go through, so I'm reposting it:
Since there's been so much coverage in the news lately—and plenty of debate here on Reddit regarding the doctors' strike, the doctor-patient relationship, and general healthcare systemic issues—I figured I’d weigh in too.😈
I am a surgeon, primarily specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Here is a specific situation from today; I'd appreciate your thoughts on it.
Today, I was working at the Mayo Clinic outpatient clinic from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM. During those hours, I saw scheduled patients as well as emergencies. This meant scheduled appointments sometimes had to wait an extra 20 or 30 minutes while I handled urgent cases—mostly hand or facial injuries. I managed to see all my scheduled patients by the end of my shift. At 2:30 PM, I stayed in the same rooms to perform diagnostic imaging—specifically breast ultrasounds—exclusively for scheduled patients. Around 5:00 PM, a young man burst in with his arm wrapped up, claiming he had cut himself. My surgical tech told him, "Sir, you'll need to see the other surgeon on the floor below us; the doctor isn't seeing patients anymore." The patient snapped back, "It's packed down there, and this is an emergency." The tech explained that the floor below is the ER, where everyone is an emergency case, so he would have to wait his turn. The patient kicked the nearest chair, started screaming, "You people are useless! You doctors are absolute scum, you all deserve to be shot," and stormed out. In the process, the women and their companions who were waiting patiently for their ultrasounds retreated into the corner in fear.
So, I'm curious to hear what you think. Do you think the tech was being rude, or are we actually just "scum"? Do you believe we should have prioritized him over the women who have been waiting weeks for an ultrasound, potentially forcing them to reschedule for June (since our ultrasound hours are strictly 2:30 PM to 6:00 PM)? To clarify, a cut hand is not a life-threatening emergency or a Level 1 priority; a wound like that can safely be stitched up anytime within 12 hours of the injury. Or do you think we're just corrupt crooks who would have stitched him up instantly if he had just waved a hundred-dollar bill?
Look, being a skilled doctor has absolutely nothing to do with having zero tact or being straight-up rude. I personally know some world-class physicians, professors, and even academics who are such total jerks and lack any basic manners it’s actually mind-blowing... exactly, anyone with half a brain wouldn't confuse bedside manner with medical expertise... 🙂
rustymoose54 said:Wait a second, are you seriously suggesting it's okay for a doctor to just leave a patient mid-gastroscopy, tube still in their throat, to take a private phone call for a few minutes?
That's ridiculous.
Using an official work phone is one thing, but no patient should ever have to tolerate that kind of behavior.
Of course it's NOT OKAY! But this is simply a matter of one individual's lack of professionalism and basic manners. We shouldn't lump this in with the broader category of "medical sins" that everyone is so quick to accept—like waiting weeks for a procedure (have you ever considered how many patients are assigned per doctor, or the sheer number of exams a physician is forced to perform daily due to the quotas set by Medicare?), or those urban legends about bribes and unprofessional conduct...
It's the same as a clerk at a government office taking a personal call while someone is standing right there, or a mechanic walking off the job to grab a drink with a friend while your car is on the lift... Every profession has its own ethics, including janitorial work. What all these people have in common is a lack of discipline... and let's be honest, there are plenty of doctors out there who lack it too.
urbanseal6 said:😲 😲 😲 Good grief!! I’d sue them! It’s ridiculous because every single medical facility has those signs everywhere: PLEASE TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES! Funny how that rule only applies to patients—it seems doctors get a free pass! 🙂
Exactly, we’re the privileged ones. We even have to carry official work phones on us during our shifts just so people can always reach us... By the way... during surgeries, we actually listen to music, chat, tell jokes, and swap recipes... Do you really think pilots just sit there in total silence, staring blankly ahead? 🙂
A gastroscope is a fiber-optic instrument; there's no way it can be as thin as a toothpick... Most of them are manufactured in Japan or Germany, and the ones used here are no different from the equipment at the Mayo Clinic... Honestly, people... why is it that we don't value things just because they're covered by insurance? It’s the exact same device, the exact same procedure, and often the same specialist whether you're seeing someone privately or through a referral... 🙂 Human psychology is something else, haha.
Colonic irrigation involves flushing out the colon with a large volume of saline—specifically an isotonic solution (0.9%). This is different from a standard enema, where about 500 ml or more of a hypertonic saline solution is introduced into the rectum. That process draws water from the body into the bowel to increase stool volume, which then triggers the urge to evacuate.
Doctors usually order colons before intestinal surgery or a colonoscopy because it's less painful and uncomfortable than using enemas or drinking heavy-duty laxatives. To ensure the bowel is completely clear for a procedure, patients typically have to take something like Coloclens, bitter salt, or castor oil for two or three days straight, alongside a specific diet and magnesium supplements.
As for using enemas for dieting or "body purification"... the effect is essentially the same as inducing vomiting in people struggling with anorexia or bulimia. Sooner or later, it's going to damage the mucosal lining.
And for those people doing this just for beauty reasons... I heard jumping off a five-story building onto the pavement is also a great treatment. Anyone want to volunteer? 🙂
granitebadger25 says: But if she isn't certain they're lipomas, I think it would be smarter to send him for a biopsy... besides, sometimes much more serious issues can look like lipomas at first glance😉
That’s not quite right. Once you feel one, you don't forget what it feels like.😁 No malignant skin or subcutaneous growth has that kind of elasticity, consistency, or mobility like a lipoma does... they are just little fatty nodules that can sometimes "slide" an inch or two in any direction under the skin. They grow throughout your life and can become massive, but there is no known malignant transformation; they are strictly an aesthetic issue. I perform several lipoma excisions every single day... honestly, I could probably do it with my eyes closed.🙂
Luckily, no one has thought to call me Miss Lipom yet.😈
Everything requires balance. You can't be overly self-assured, yet you shouldn't be completely lacking in confidence either. To actually achieve that equilibrium, though, there needs to be continuous education—which is a major issue in primary care. Once doctors close their textbooks after med school, they rarely pick them up again. Perhaps they could mandate that all family practitioners undergo a formal residency or specialization program within the next 10 to 15 years. That way, they'd spend a few years rotating through hospital wards, refreshing what they already know while picking up new skills along the way.
In my view, the core issue is that we specialists are being undervalued. I’m not talking about our own salaries here, but rather how Medicare consistently underpays for the actual services we provide.
A full specialist consultation, regardless of the field, is billed at whatever rate Medicare dictates in their fee schedule $23 😈
Primary care doctors don't even bother with a proper physical—they won't palpate an abdomen or take a detailed medical history. They just write a referral to a surgeon and wash their hands of the situation... As a result, I end up sitting in a waiting room with five or six of these so-called "emergencies." On top of my scheduled appointments, I have to squeeze these people in, only to find out none of them were urgent. It creates a mess: the "emergency" patients get frustrated by the wait, the scheduled patients get annoyed because we're pushing them back to make room, and I’m left stuck trying to see 30 or 40 patients instead of 20, all for the exact same reimbursement.
Take today, for example. I was sent a patient from a nursing home with a referral for *Keratosis faciei*... but there wasn't a trace of keratosis, just some *lentigo senilis*. Neither of those actually requires a surgical consult. $23 That money just vanished from the federal treasury... some might say it isn't much. But when you multiply that by 70 cases, it adds up fast. Meanwhile, on the other side of the coin, there are people who can't access necessary medication simply because the funding isn't there.
Lipomas can be clinically identified, so it’s absolute nonsense to puncture every single one. An ultrasound might be an option in some cases. Every primary care physician should be able to recognize benign growths and refer anything suspicious for further testing, rather than being completely uncritical and failing to perform any kind of triage at all. General practitioners are notorious for being afraid of their own shadows, sending us specialists all sorts of nonsense. In the West, about 70% of cases are handled in primary care, yet here, it's less than 7%. This doesn't just cost a massive amount of money; it also clogs up specialist offices with unnecessary work, meaning those who actually need specialized help often can't get seen in time.... I'm a surgeon, and I have the opportunity to examine perfectly healthy people every day. When I ask them why they're here, they very often say, "I don't know, my doctor said it was nothing, but told me to come see you anyway..."
It feels like half the country is coming down with something right now... and with the forecast calling for a cold snap and snow this weekend, things might get worse... Make sure you're stocking up on things like Emergen-C or Echinacea drops, plus plenty of honey, lemon, oranges, and enough tea to fill a swimming pool. And honestly? Just stay inside. If those nasty viruses still manage to catch you despite all that, then reach for some Aleve, nasal spray, cough syrup, aspirin, and Vitamin C... I assume my fellow Formula 1 fans aren't just going to roll over and let a little flu win, right? 🙂
Ashley Perez66 said:So what if he's pre-pubescent? I mean, obviously you haven't experienced it yet... 🙄 The joke might be fine, but this kind of belittling kids is just gross. 👎 It's pointless.
He wrote: When a man inserts his penis into a vagina, does the glans become exposed? If so, shouldn't that be painful (as a man, I know that's a sensitive area)? Or does the lubrication prevent the pain?
So, he explicitly identified himself as a MAN...
If he had just said, "I'm young, I haven't tried anything yet, and I don't know what will happen," people wouldn't have mocked him. Instead, they would have explained things to him. Honestly, he should have asked his father first. Even in our schools, we lack actual sex education, and certainly no reproductive physiology is being taught in religious studies classes.😈
young.but.dead said:When a guy asks something like this, is he just lacking basic brain cells? If so, shouldn't he be checked into a mental health facility?
I have to disagree here.🙂 It feels more like a question from some kid going through pre-puberty... 😈who hasn't even experienced an erection yet.
Jerry Newman18 said:Look, I’m just wondering—if there’s really nothing to worry about, why is this news sitting on the front page of that site and making up the lead story on the nightly news? It’s obviously tragic what happened 😢 ...but still, I don't quite get
Because stories about a few cases of warts aren't exactly what sells newspapers or keeps people glued to their TV screens... 🙂
nostalgičar said:I managed to read a bit in the paper today while my little girl was at the doctor. Thank God the doctor didn't realize what was actually happening to her, so she's home now. It wasn't until much later that we realized she needed to go to San Diego. 😢
The progression of this disease is brutal... from those initial, non-specific symptoms to full-blown sepsis, the window is incredibly short. In young children, you see general lethargy, high fever, sudden decline, and dehydration. That's how almost any childhood infection starts, whether it's just a common virus or something like mumps. No doctor—unless they have specific knowledge of an active meningococcus outbreak in their area—is going to jump to a primary diagnosis until advanced meningitis develops, showing neurological symptoms and typical findings in the spinal fluid...
It’s easy to point fingers and say the doctor is to blame, isn't it? 😈
They aren't, unfortunately. All these illnesses are, sadly, treatable and curable if caught in time...
Vaccines don't cover every single existing virus, nor can they predict which specific strain is going to hit you next.
I'm with him on this... Kenneth Hernandez67 is absolutely right. The flu shot is formulated based on the strains predicted to cause an epidemic... and because of that, it varies by region. For instance, the vaccine used here in the US isn't necessarily the same one used in Spain. Beyond that, the virus mutates every time it passes through a new host organism. Eventually, its antigenic makeup doesn't perfectly align with the vaccine, even if we're talking about the same strain. In those cases, you might still catch the flu, though the symptoms tend to be milder since the antibodies you developed still provide some level of defense against the virus.
William Doyle2 said:For real, man. You aren't watching Oz? Back to the topic: I'm still in pain... what happens if it actually is that syndrome? When does it go away?
I don't watch Oz, sorry...
Hmm... when will it stop? If you use pain medication and stick to relative rest, it should clear up in about ten days. However, after that, you really need to address the root cause: focusing on proper muscle loading and strengthening. Of course, that assumes it's definitely Sportsman's Groin (PSG)... differential diagnoses could include other issues like localized lymph node inflammation, vascular issues, or an inguinal, femoral, or obturator hernia. Maybe you should head to a doctor to get it checked out properly? 🙂
Try looking up "groin pain syndrome" online; it'll make things a lot clearer for you. It's pain at the insertion point where the rectus muscle meets the pubic bone, caused by straining an unprepared abdominal muscle wall.
As for that "I don't have time for surgery" attitude... it’s obvious the kid is naive. When a hernia becomes incarcerated or an appendix perforates, nobody asks about your schedule—least of all the person whose life is on the line. I just "love" dealing with patients like that.😈