Doctor stories: What are your experiences with diagnoses?

From what I’ve seen, they all seem wonderful and full of life at the start... but eventually, even they hit a wall. You guys are saying it yourselves—one of the biggest issues is actually the people. Nowadays, there’s this lack of respect for doctors; everyone just sits around waiting for them to slip up so they can sue them or make their lives miserable.

It isn’t easy for them. Everyone expects them to be superhuman, to have a cure for everything—but that's just not how reality works. And then you hear the inevitable follow-up: "Well, if you don't know everything, why did you even go to medical school?" Not many people truly grasp what they're signing up for when they enroll in university. They don't consider that this will be their entire life, and they'll be expected to perform at their absolute peak every single day. Unfortunately, we lack any real way to filter who should or shouldn't pursue this path. The admissions process is a joke. I know plenty of people who ranked in the top 16 during entrance exams but can barely manage to pass a single year of classes.

Sometimes, walking into a hospital and seeing how staff behave honestly turns my stomach. It makes me wonder—once I finish my degree, am I going to end up being that kind of person?

When it comes to this friction between patients and doctors, there are so many systemic failures at play, starting with the state of the healthcare system itself. Doctors are undeniably underpaid. Let’s be real—nobody wants to work for nothing. In some places, a city bus driver makes more than a specialist. So, when you see burned-out professionals, that's why. Now, before anyone says they have an excuse to treat patients like garbage because of the pay—they don't. There is absolutely no justification for that behavior.

But you also tend to forget that they are just human beings. They deal with their own struggles, too. Almost every physician has something they vent about—which is why so many fall into the traps of alcoholism or substance abuse. I’m asking you to please try to understand that being in a doctor's shoes is far from easy.

Are they gonna kill each other off, drink themselves into an early grave, or just dive headfirst into a drug habit?.. hm, let's not get ahead of ourselves here

Oh, right... my mistake... they're basically infallible, aren't they? Completely immune to everything—absolute superheroes!

Look, I'm not just throwing words around for the hell of it. I read a lot, I see plenty, and I hear enough to know what's going on. Like I said before, the statistical likelihood of a doctor losing their life is significantly higher than that of some "average Joe."

Noah Vaughn3 said:Based on my own experience, I’ve learned one thing for certain: those people always seem absolutely wonderful and perfect right at the start. They play the part flawlessly, acting like the sweetest souls you'll ever meet, but don't let that fool you for a second. It's always the same pattern.

Honestly, I’ll take a junior doctor over some big-shot specialist any day of the week. Why? Because the younger ones actually have the drive. They have the knowledge, and more importantly, they aren't too terrified or embarrassed to admit when they don't have an answer. They haven't been corrupted by the system yet; they’re still out there grinding, trying to actually build a reputation and prove themselves. But those "legendary" doctors with the massive reputations? Please. They act like they’ve personally mastered every ounce of wisdom on the planet. They walk around with this insufferable attitude that we should all be profoundly honored just to step foot in their office, as if being treated by them is some kind of divine privilege. It's exhausting.

Noah Vaughn3 said:Eventually, they’ll get on their nerves too... honestly, you guys are proving my point right here. One of the biggest reasons this keeps happening is the people themselves. It’s like nobody has any respect for doctors anymore. Instead of trusting them, everyone just sits around waiting for a single mistake so they can sue them, harass them, and make their lives a living hell.

Wait, what on earth is wrong with these people? Seriously. I have an immense amount of respect for the medical profession—I really do. These are the individuals who hold your life, and the lives of everyone you love most, in their hands. It's a massive responsibility. But look, it’s not like I forced anyone to go through med school or push them into becoming doctors. If they’ve already climbed that mountain and earned those credentials, then for heaven's sake, they should act like it. You’re expected to live by your oath and, frankly, just show some basic decency and common courtesy. It shouldn't be this hard.
So you’re actually sitting there telling me that I should just sit around and wait for some doctor to absolutely wreck my life—or my family's life—just so I can have the "opportunity" to sue them? Like that's some kind of grand life ambition of mine? Seriously, stop talking such nonsense. It's ridiculous.
If you messed up, have some decency and just own it. Be a man and admit your mistakes.

Noah Vaughn3 said:It’s honestly exhausting watching people treat them like they're some kind of gods. Everyone walks into those clinics expecting them to be superhuman, expecting them to have a magic wand that cures everything instantly. It doesn't work like that. It’s just not how medicine works, regardless of how much pressure you pile on. They aren't machines.

Look, people in my neighborhood aren't walking into a doctor's office expecting some kind of superhero to swoop in and save the day. They aren't looking for Superman. They just want a real human being—someone who actually takes the time to examine them, listen to what they're saying, order the necessary tests, and then sit down to explain the diagnosis and the treatment plan. Any sane person understands that we’re dealing with incredibly heavy, difficult illnesses. Because of that, any normal person expects a basic level of human decency and empathy. But honestly? That’s becoming a rare commodity these days. You can barely find a shred of genuine human connection anymore, not even from the nursing staff. It's frustrating as hell.

Noah Vaughn3 said:And then you’ll all turn around and ask, "Well, what did they even study for?" Give me a break. Honestly, so few people actually bother to look before they leap when they enroll in a university program. They don't stop to think about the fact that this isn't just some temporary hobby—this is their life. This is what they're going to be doing every single day for the next forty years. You can't just coast through; you have to commit to doing the job at the highest possible level, because that's what the profession demands. It's about accountability, something people seem to forget these days.

Look, if you get your results back from the lab and they aren't what you expected, just move on to a different field that actually suits you. It’s not rocket science. Some people seem to be under this delusional impression that once they finish their degree, they’re set for life—like they can just cruise through and spend the rest of their careers building ships or whatever. Newsflash: the real world doesn't work like that. Life isn't a straight line, and a single diploma isn't a magic ticket to a lifelong career in shipbuilding. Get a grip.😕

Noah Vaughn3 said:Honestly, there are times when I walk into a hospital and I am just completely repulsed by how some people carry themselves. The attitude, the lack of basic empathy... it’s nauseating. It makes me wonder—once I finally grind through the rest of my degree and get my credentials, am I going to turn into one of those cold, heartless bureaucrats? Am I really going to end up being that kind of person?

Oh, give me a break. Don't you dare act like it doesn't matter. It is genuinely wonderful when a doctor actually greets you, when they show they care, when you feel a spark of genuine warmth. Even if you know deep down they might not be able to fix everything, feeling that sense of empathy and basic human decency is everything.

Noah Vaughn3 said:A lot of things are "wrong" regarding this patient-doctor relationship, starting with the state of the healthcare system itself... doctors are definitely underpaid... I mean, nobody wants to work for free. For crying out loud, an MTA bus driver makes more than some specialists... so now you think about why they're all so burnt out and cranky. And before you say they have a right to act like jerks because of those conditions—they don't. There is absolutely no excuse for treating patients like garbage.

Look, problems exist in every single sector of society. We aren't exactly a wealthy nation, though we certainly could be. Yes, doctors are undervalued, but that gives them zero right to misdiagnose someone or act like total cowboys.
Everyone with a job claims they aren't paid enough and thinks their salary should be higher. Personally, I think the entire healthcare structure needs a massive overhaul. In my opinion, a hospital director shouldn't even be a medical professional; it should be a manager who knows how to handle revenue and expenses, find investors, and court donors...
Just look at a facility like Mount Sinai; that person actually knows what they're doing.

Noah Vaughn3 said:But you're forgetting they are just human beings too. They have their own struggles, and it’s rare to find a physician who doesn't vent or complain occasionally (which is why so many of them end up burning out, drinking heavily, or turning to drugs...). So please, I am begging you, try to understand that being in a doctor's shoes isn't easy either.

I tip my hat to the truly great physicians, I really do, but we all have our own issues to deal with. If you can't help yourself, there are psychologists and psychiatrists for that... at least they know who is actually competent in their field. If you made the choice to become a doctor, then damn it, be a doctor.

I completely agree with everything you said. They always find something to complain about—the patients themselves included. Like I mentioned before, there’s absolutely no excuse for acting like a jerk. It feels like in the beginning, everything is roses, but eventually, it all just settles into a mindless routine. That’s probably why there are so few truly good doctors left—the sincere ones who actually go out of their way to help. At the end of the day, you have to listen to all these problems, then head home, and still worry about your own family. I get what you're getting at; there really are people out there who deserve to have their medical licenses revoked. Definitely. But patients also need to realize they aren't the only ones dealing with issues—the person treating them has their own struggles, too. Obviously, that shouldn't affect the quality of care, but we're human—damn it—and it's just human nature that when you're stressed, sick, or dealing with whatever else, you don't exactly have much left to give to others (which is usually how it goes). I'm reminded of a quote from an editor at a prominent medical journal: "I'm healthier now than I ever was before," right before he retired.

Look, I work with people too, so I know that feeling where you just want to 🙂 walk away—not because I’m actually treating them (even if it feels that way sometimes), but because I refuse to let my personal life bleed into my work, or vice versa. Sometimes it feels like an impossible mission, but experience eventually works its magic.
At the end of the day, patients are human beings.
Some things just can't become routine, especially when you're dealing with a human life!
In my opinion, any sane, healthy person can recognize when they aren't cut out for this kind of job anymore. If your conscience starts screaming at you, you have to listen. You have to say, "Listen, guys, I don't think I can do this anymore. I'm about to make a catastrophic mistake. Let's find another solution—maybe I'll teach the next generation... or something."

If I understood you correctly, you're still just a medical student?

Studying medicine—it becomes a routine, you see it with your own eyes, especially in major hubs like New York or Chicago... places where the patient volume is relentless. It’s actually happening right now with my generation of students; so many of them are admitting that this isn't for them, that they don't want to spend their entire lives doing this.

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It’s all well and good to understand what it's like working with people, but honestly, after everything you have to endure just to earn the title of doctor, only to have people treat you poorly? It’s hardly surprising when some of them start acting like they're playing God. I'd venture to say those are the doctors who didn't actually choose this path—it was forced upon them. It’s tragic how many people enroll in medical school for the wrong reasons, and frankly, they turn into exactly the kind of physicians you're all complaining about.

Here is an example of people who just love to cause trouble.

Back when I was at the ER in New York, waiting to get a cast put on... there’s this guy, totally wound up, starts yelling, "What is this? What kind of system is this? I've been waiting here for eight hours!" blah blah blah... He starts shouting at the nurse. Look, I get it—it’s tough, and I had been waiting five hours myself—but it isn't their fault that the healthcare system is a total mess. They shouldn't be allowed to vent their frustrations on the staff, just as much as the staff shouldn't take it out on them.

I don't know what else to say; everything being said in this thread is true. But at the end of the day, nobody can actually do anything to fix the systemic issues within the healthcare system—and if they could, the doctors themselves would likely be better people too.

You're claiming a transit driver earns more than a specialist. How much are we actually talking about for each? I'm not saying their salaries should be identical, obviously, but let's not make sweeping generalizations here. A specialist working a few shifts here and there can live a perfectly decent life.

boldsailor52 said:So you're claiming a bus driver makes more than a specialist? How much does one actually make versus the other? I mean, obviously they shouldn't be identical, but let's not generalize. A specialist with some on-call shifts here and there can live quite decently.

Oh, so according to you, they should be living miserably?
Living in the slums—broke, dirty, and eating at soup kitchens? 🙄

Wow... maybe instead of the Hippocratic Oath, doctors should just take a vow of poverty during graduation, like monks.
The thing is, I haven't seen many poor monks lately—everyone seems to be driving Golfs and Audis... 😎

boldsailor52 said:You’re claiming a transit driver earns more than a specialist. Exactly how much are we talking about here? I'm not suggesting they should be paid identically—of course not—but let's avoid sweeping generalizations. A specialist handling the occasional on-call shift can live quite comfortably enough.

I am not making sweeping statements... I have spent my entire life watching someone pull on-call shifts every other day, trying to figure out what "living comfortably" actually looks like for them. This isn't even about the paycheck—it's about the lifestyle. In my town—a small community, really—they are on call almost constantly. And as I said, it's not about the salary; it's about the toll this takes on people. No one truly knows what they go through. No, you don't know—regardless of how much people complain about a misdiagnosis or whatever else gets written in a chart. These professionals sacrifice their families just to be present at work; their kids grow up seeing them more often than not. I know this from personal experience—my mother was at the hospital for 24 hours straight during the war, and she still is today. She has worked twice as hard as any "normal" person her whole life, so please, don't lecture me on whether they can afford a decent life.

At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I am speaking from experience, and I find myself disagreeing with most of what you've written.
But as I mentioned before, there are certainly fools among us, much like the types you are describing.

Here is the thread: Experiences with doctors and their dialysis treatments

Look, I am not even talking about how much they make. Any job that is actually done right is demanding, period.

Doctors and nursing staff pull night shifts... but what about firefighters, police officers, toll booth operators, MTA workers, border patrol agents? They are working through the night, weekends, and holidays too. Is their work somehow less demanding? Apparently, only doctors are miserable; only they have problems. Give me a break...

And what about the families who lose someone because a doctor completely screwed up? I guess those families were just being "shameless" because they placed all their trust in that physician. We had someone in our family who was a head nurse; if you asked her for a favor through her connections, she’d get it done, but everyone knew what kind of "thank you" gift was brought to the doctor. It wasn't even an issue because you got things handled in the fastest possible timeframe—you weren't waiting months for a test result or a scan like the "ordinary mortals" out there. How is that normal??? She hadn't worked a single night shift in years, probably because of the reputation she had built.

People who choose medicine, whatever their reasons, are entering a noble profession. But then they become arrogant and rude themselves because they start thinking they're better than everyone else, and we, the mere mortals, just let them get away with it. They live off our money; we pay them, whether it's through standard salaries or through those "rewards." You don't see any doctor driving a junker or living in some damp basement apartment.
Our society is lacking so much tolerance. Just so much.

The little Boy who goes to school with my son a few weeks ago was in a state that was almost half-dead (he's only 8). The doctors and staff over at Mayo Clinic missed the mark—they didn't do everything they were supposed to do. If he hadn't been transferred to infectious diseases immediately, he would have died. Upon arrival there, he was diagnosed instantly with meningococcal sepsis. Those spots that started breaking out on him while he was still at the first facility? They totally ignored them. I mean, helloooo... how is that even normal!!!
Their mistakes are treated like they MUST NOT happen, regardless of the fact that they are human beings too.

Oh, sure—they aren't allowed to... because they’re basically gods, right? And gods can do whatever they please. Give me a break. You guys clearly aren't thinking this through—not that it matters much. All I know is that you have no clue what it's actually like, yet you keep talking trash. Not everyone is handing out bribes, either. No one is forcing people to show up with cash or gifts in hand. Honestly, maybe they started acting so entitled and arrogant because of all the constant criticism and provocation from people like you. Have you even considered that? Of course not. In your eyes, everything is always their fault. Whatever. I'm done trying to "debate" with you people.

Noah Vaughn3 said:Oh sure, they aren't allowed to... because they're gods, right? And gods can do whatever they want, isn't that how it works?

The whole point is..........

Noah Vaughn3 said:Just fuck off... you guys clearly aren't thinking at all... but hey, whatever..

As if you're the only one actually using your brain while the rest of us are just being crude. I guess we're all just making stuff up, then.

Noah Vaughn3 said:..and not everyone takes bribes.. and nobody forces people to bring them bribes or any kind of gift..

I remember once—just once—when a doctor we were incredibly grateful to actually refused a gift, telling me that accepting it would be an insult.
Look, nobody is forcing anyone to bring gifts (of any kind), but (except for that one case) no doctor has ever turned one down. In fact, some will literally tell you exactly how much you need to bring if you want them to actually get something done for you.

Noah Vaughn3 said:Maybe they've started acting superior and being rude because of all the people talking shit and undermining them, have you thought about that? Everything is always their fault... obviously..

Right, because we're all just being obnoxious. Some of us actually value and respect people, including doctors. Your argument that they're putting themselves on a pedestal just because we're all underestimating and trashing them... honestly, I don't even follow.

Noah Vaughn3 said:Whatever, bye. I'm done "debating" with you people.

Wow. Look, if you're really like this while you're still in med school, please, for the love of god, change your major...

You know... I’ve given it some thought. I would change my approach just for you all—for the good people here

But no, I won't. I have no desire to mislead you or offer a wrong diagnosis—even once—just so I can spend my time laughing about it or feeling superior later on🙄

Everyone needs to chill out. There are far more important issues at hand, and we shouldn't have laypeople meddling where they don't belong; it only creates unnecessary chaos. Personally, I wouldn't dream of sticking my nose into an electrical engineer's work or a retail manager's business, simply because I don't know the first thing about those fields

The healthcare system is changing drastically because people keep interfering—diagnosing themselves and assuming they’re smarter than the professionals. If that's how it works, then fine, let's all become doctors and see how wonderful that turns out to be.
I'll tell you this much: I wish you could experience being in the shoes of a truly dedicated, honest physician on one of their most chaotic days. You’d see how difficult it is to manage everything while remaining educated, composed, and professional when you're actually exhausted. You talk about this as if it's easy, but you clearly have no idea what it's really like. Please, don't lecture me on things you don't understand. I've been in hospitals for as long as I can remember—partly due to my own health struggles, and partly because I want to learn everything possible so I can eventually help others and prevent the kind of mistakes that occur in this field. And then you come along and try to dictate whether I should switch my major

You don't know me, you don't know why I chose medicine, and you certainly shouldn't judge me—or anyone else
None of us truly know what happens behind closed doors when a doctor makes a mistake; the only person who knows is the physician involved. I have already stated a million times that there are idiots in this profession, but I am speaking exclusively on behalf of those who are still good people and help others selflessly. You should do the same for them. Sometimes, you just have to accept that errors happen—unfortunately, they are a reality in this line of work.

Oh, I’ve seen this movie before. Doctors throwing out diagnoses based on nothing but symptoms, without waiting for actual lab results. They hand you a pack of antibiotics and call it a day. But the second you come back and tell them the meds didn't work, they get defensive—as if you're personally attacking their ego. Like, "Oh, sure, you just came back here specifically to mess with me." It's always about them, never the patient.

Alright, darling Quote : Night, you’re speaking from personal experience. Here is mine:
My mom had her uterus removed, and not a single soul at the hospital bothered to tell her what the surgery actually entailed or how she should manage her recovery afterward. Should patients just be expected to go Google everything themselves?
After my own surgery, when I asked the doctor for details about what they actually removed, he basically told me he wasn't going to sit there and lecture me on medicine. It would have taken him literally sixty seconds to explain.
Then there's my dad. He had cataract surgery, and he even paid a bribe because this "famous" ophthalmologist was recommended through some backchannel connections (yeah, go ahead and crucify me). During a routine procedure, the guy botched his eye. Fine, mistakes happen. But during every single follow-up appointment, the doctor refused to admit anything went wrong or even explain what happened; he just kept writing down that everything looked perfect. We thought he was just having a slow recovery, blah blah blah. Now, he can't see out of that eye at all.
And don't give me that crap—to use your own vocabulary—about them working twice as hard as "normal people," or those pathetic stories about how the job neglects family life. In today's world, people "normally" work all day long, myself included.
Nobody told you before you enrolled in college that it was going to be fantastic. Doctors know exactly what they're getting into; they know what the salaries look like and what the grind is like. If they can't handle that, they shouldn't be doing it. No one is claiming the job is easy, but that isn't an excuse for skipping scheduled specialist appointments, refusing to explain things, or treating patients like their illnesses aren't even their concern. It doesn't excuse stealing hospital equipment for private practices or performing illegal late-term abortions...
I don't need to say that I don't think every single one of them is like this.
And Andrew Campbell4, stop implying things and rambling on with that childish nonsense.

Here's the thread: Experiences with doctors and dialysis treatments.

nah... not really.

Yeah, okay, look... I might have gotten a little carried away in the heat of the moment 🙂.... (but hey, at least I was the one who had the guts to actually step up and make a move 😎 )

My late mother spent several years being shuffled through different diagnoses—everything from brain tumors to neuroischialgia. It wasn't until I happened to cross paths with a chief neurosurgeon, described her symptoms to her, and had her hand me a specific list of tests to run that we finally got the truth: it was Parkinsonian disease all along. Now I can't help but wonder how much damage those four or five years of incorrect treatment actually caused, simply because someone failed to master their medical training or just couldn't be bothered to order the right scans in the first place.

Maybe not in your world, but in mine—the one I’ve lived in since I was a kid—people work twice as hard as anyone else. Still, you all love to talk about what goes on in the big cities; try coming to a smaller town for once to see how things actually get done. Neither you nor anyone else can claim to know how it is, because you simply don't. It's as simple as that.
It seems to me that you and Kimberly Nguyen just read whatever you want to read—as if I’m just here to defend everything and say nothing but good things. For heaven's sake, read the whole post. I can't help you if you just lash out at me for being "clueless" or rude. I've only ever run into one bad doctor in my entire life, probably because people in small towns don't spend their lives obsessing over themselves the way they do in the big metropolitan areas. And honestly? That isn't even a bad thing; those kinds of doctors at least don't overthink everything.

Regarding patient information, people really ought to stay informed,
rather than acting like they know more than they do and sticking their noses where they don't belong. These days, it’s not even that people aren't informed—it's that they meddle in things that aren't their business, which is a massive difference. How do you think we study medicine? How do you think we're treated? We're treated like the lowest tier of staff. And regarding this training I'm doing so I can eventually help people—I have to work my tail off to earn my keep, learn everything, and be as tedious as the U.S. government just to get anyone to show me something I can actually apply later on.

If certain things were clearer and everyone understood where they fit in, most of what you're talking about wouldn't even be an issue.

And like I've said a thousand times, mistakes happen because doctors don't know everything—and that is always going to be the case. In this profession, those mistakes shouldn't happen, but let's be real: it's impossible to prevent them entirely.
Once people finally accept that reality, things will be easier for everyone.