Doctor stories: What are your experiences with diagnoses?

Well, that’s exactly where we run into trouble—everyone seems to misinterpret things rather than taking them at face value. She simply remarked that some people have never even heard of humility; she didn't go as far as saying everyone *must* act that way. I honestly don't see where that's implied, and if you chose to interpret it through your own specific lens, there isn't much I can do about that.

In this world, people generally just interpret things however they want to see them.
Take a classic example from a film like Joan of Arc—she finds a cat and, well, goodness knows how that plays out. It’s as if God Himself orchestrated it that way; that was simply her perception, regardless of how the situation actually unfolded... at this point, the reality of it doesn't even matter.
It's the exact same deal with this.

Benjamin Murphy2 said:Do you honestly believe I could have grasped all of this back in grad school? It’s a bit late for that now; once you hit your mid-thirties, your professional title isn't exactly changing overnight. I manage, somehow. Though, I can't help but think—especially when I'm stuck at the office from sunrise to sunrise all through a Sunday—that I might have been perfectly fine without any of this.

Well, if you couldn't wrap your head around certain things during your studies, despite all those endless drills and constant activity, I suppose it's a good thing you finally figured it out now...

Benjamin Murphy2 said:Do you honestly think I could have figured all this out while I was still in med school? It's kind of late for that now, since you don't just change your title in your mid-thirties. I'm making it work somehow, I guess, it's just that sometimes, when I'm stuck at work from sunrise to sunrise all through a Sunday, I can't help but think that I could've made it in life even without this whole thing.

Wait, hold up, are you seriously telling me you had no clue what the labor rights or the actual responsibilities were for the career you wanted to do forever?
Did it really never cross your mind to, I don't know, actually sit down and talk to a doctor to find out what you were signing up for?

I work—and yeah, my job is totally soul-crushing—including Saturdays, Sundays, day shifts, night shifts, holidays, everything... but at least I knew what I was getting into, so I'm not complaining...

At the end of the day, none of us are to blame because you picked the wrong profession for yourself. We definitely didn't sign up for some crappy, inhumane treatment, and honestly, there are a ton of doctors like that out there—not saying you are one, obviously...

Look, let me give you an example. You're a doctor, so you tell me: what am I supposed to say to a doctor who, just 42 days after surgery, sends back a 50-year-old woman to the exact same spot, knowing she's already had two surgeries that same year, and it's her fifth one ever, bruh?

And forget about Medicare and their little guidelines; six months later, another doctor suggested disability for her, and she actually got it without any shady business or cutting corners...

So, like, what do you say to that first doctor? Do we celebrate them like they're some kind of saint just because they have an MD, or do we call them out for being heartless, irresponsible, and unprofessional?

P. S. On a different note, I have an amazing OBGYN and a really great guy at the local clinic near the Holy Spirit hospital, and those are the real deal doctors to me🙂

boldsailor52 said:...actually quite the opposite, people are most humble toward doctors compared to any other profession...

I'm quoting my previous post again—the one where I mentioned humility. Just to be clear, I wasn't saying patients *should* be humble, I was just responding to the idea that they are the most humble group out there... I said that kind of humility doesn't really exist, though I never suggested it ought to...
Or should I quote it one more time so it doesn't get skipped again?

boldsailor52 said:...actually quite the opposite, people are most humble toward doctors compared to any other profession...

If it's too much work to read all the posts, maybe don't claim I said things I didn't—you can't really read between the lines if you aren't actually reading what's written...

Man, I go out for a quick coffee and suddenly there's drama here 😁
Everyone's picking on the medical field, but that's not even what I said 😛

Let's all just take a deep breath and think about the beach or the mountains for a bit 😉

brisknomad6 said:Wait, did you not know what the labor rights and responsibilities were for the career you wanted to pursue your whole life? — I guess maybe you just hadn't looked into it yet.
I guess it might have been a good idea to chat with a doctor first—just to get a better sense of what to expect, maybe?

So, before I actually signed up for med school—I guess I talked to all sorts of people, from current students to actual doctors—and everyone seemed to have such a different take on it...
One doctor was actually super encouraging when I mentioned I might bail on the med school entrance exams—she really pushed me to stick with it. It’s funny because my own mom is also a doctor, and she basically told me to think twice since I could probably have a much easier life if I just picked a different career path... maybe.
Honestly—I didn't really listen to anyone else, I guess—I just signed up because I was genuinely interested in medicine itself...

brisknomad6 said:I work—even though it’s a totally soul-crushing job—on Saturdays and Sundays, day shifts, night shifts, Thursdays, and Fridays... but I knew exactly what I was getting into, so I guess I don't really mind.

If you actually decided to go through with that—well, more power to you, I guess!
In medicine, you just never really know—I guess. You’ve got options like working in general practice, the ER, or a million different paths once you become a specialist or subspecialist—like surgery or whatever—and you could work 8, 18, or even 28 hours... but until you actually land the job, you don't really know, and honestly, you don't even know what's waiting for you once you're in there.
Since everything happens in a studio setting, I guess you won't really know for sure even after you graduate... I have two friends finishing up their degrees right now, and they'll probably end up doing internships out in rural areas—somewhere like central Nebraska or maybe Wyoming—where it’s a long trek from home. They have no clue what they want to specialize in yet—they definitely have dreams and big ambitions, obviously—but they're just worried about getting stuck in one niche, especially since there isn't much flexibility in the American system to change paths once you start.
I guess you only land a job there if you have a really solid connection... or maybe just a ton of luck—who knows?

brisknomad6 said:What do you even say to a doctor who thinks it’s okay to send a 50-year-old woman back to her old job just 42 days after surgery—especially when she’s already had two operations this year alone? I mean, that makes five surgeries in her lifetime... man.

It looks like the second doctor was way more compassionate than the first—just a fact, I guess. And it’s honestly great they actually looked into it and hopefully transferred those records over from the other guy... because you really can't just sit there being passive when a doctor is totally ignoring your problem.

Benjamin Murphy2, sorry I replied to a post meant for you—it just kind of drew me in, I guess! 😉
I guess you’ll probably end up giving an even better explanation later on—maybe.

I could really go for a coffee right about now... 😢

Yeah, actually—my mom was telling me this the other day... back when she started working in the ER in the early '80s, she’d pull 44-hour shifts. Like, from Thursday night straight through until Saturday afternoon. I guess they don't really mention that during orientation nowadays, and even she doesn't complain about it now—she just sees it as part of the job she chose... just like thousands of others... kind of like how Benjamin Murphy2 says he's exhausted and wishes he could spend more time with his family... honestly, he should be ashamed

nimblestag31 said:ahem...

... I'm honestly just glad you went into nursing because it was what you actually wanted, since that means you'll probably actually enjoy the work. Just like how I totally love my 🙂, though from what I've gathered about Benjamin Murphy2, it's definitely not all sunshine and rainbows

... and look, it's not like everyone in my field works the way I do... there are people out there with free weekends and stuff, but since my dad did this exact same job his entire life, I guess I was just totally prepared for whatever came my way 🙂

I mean, yeah, I agree our system is basically a dumpster fire and it feels like everyone just gets handed things instead of actually getting help through incentives, more jobs being created, or specialized training... but you can't blame the patients in a small town like Flint for everything... or us folks here in Washington, D.C. later on...

People need to realize that we’re setting money aside from our paychecks every single month, and it's not our fault if your paychecks are tiny, or if the American healthcare system is a mess, or if certain idiots—and I'm sure those arrogant, rude patients have that same attitude toward the cashier at Target too—just don't respect the profession

... regarding the other doctor, it wasn't about moving files around; the first one was through the disability commission (after which my mom kept working even though she risked going on permanent disability), and the second was through the state disability board...

My job and the commission thing are really just examples for comparison, and I seriously wouldn't want the thread to turn into an off-topic mess just because of me 🙂

Noah Vaughn3 said:but that’s exactly where you guys mess it up, you always twist things and take them completely differently than how they were actually said... she just mentioned that some people have never even heard of being humble, she didn't say everyone *has* to act like that, I honestly don't see where that's even implied, and if you decided to interpret it exactly how YOU wanted to, there's nothing I can do about that
...
in this world, everyone just interprets things however they feel like anyway
take that movie Joan of Arc, for example—she finds a cat and, man, I don't even know, it's like God put that there for her, that's just how she saw it, but what actually happened or how it really landed... it doesn't even matter anymore...
it's the exact same thing with this

You're totally mixing up apples and oranges here.😳
A slip of the tongue is one thing, but choosing to (not) take something literally is a whole different story 😁 .
And most of us took it the same way...😉

brisknomad6 said:...the first one was from the disability review board—which meant Mom kept working even though she was risking permanent disability—and then the second guy was on the medical board...

It’s just... well, I have to admit those review boards can be pretty hit-or-miss...
Up until recently, they were acting just like that doctor did with your mom—probably just sticking strictly to Medicare's budget constraints—but now they've got people approving month-long sick leaves for a simple sore throat... you just never know 😕

Hey nimblestag31, let me ask you something direct: do you honestly believe people are less polite to doctors than they are to any other professional they have to work with?
It’s wild to me that you don't see how most patients walk into an exam room acting completely terrified, basically treating the doctor like some kind of deity they need to appease.
You clearly aren't grasping the fact that people will endure things with a physician that they wouldn't tolerate from anyone else.
How do you explain why so many people flood online forums to obsess over illnesses, treatments, and diagnoses instead of just talking to their doctors? Do you really think they're so clueless that they believe they'll find better answers here, or can you finally admit that they simply aren't getting the answers they need at the clinic?

feralorca2 said:You're mixing apples and oranges.😳
A slip of the tongue is one thing—misinterpreting something literally is quite another. 😁.
Most of us saw it the same way...😉

What does that even mean? Are you suggesting we all need to be humble just because nimblestag31 said so?
If anyone tries to lecture me about needing to show "humility" when I'm right, then maybe I'll admit I was wrong—but not before.
Like I’ve already made clear, I don't believe humility is a requirement here—and since nimblestag31 seems to agree, let's not paint everyone with the same brush. Please—there are plenty of people actually doing their jobs with integrity.

😉

Look, Amazon, what you just said is absolutely appalling. When someone comes to you looking for help, they’re operating under the assumption that they’ve walked into the office of a true PROFESSIONAL—someone who actually took the Hippocratic Oath and gets paid specifically to assist them. It's their job. What kind of additional humiliation are you asking for? Especially from someone who is actually sick?
Throughout this entire debate—whether you want to admit it or not—it’s clear that your concern for "professional dignity" is just a thin veil. In reality, your ego is what’s feeling bruised, viewed through the lens of your career. If you truly respected your own profession, you’d be just as critical of the negativity creeping into it.

And if you're honestly expecting patients to act submissive in front of you, then, sorry, but you don't belong in the medical field.

Look, I have to say this—are you blind? Have you considered getting glasses, or if you already have them, maybe upgrading to a stronger prescription? As for my ego... if I actually had one, I’d probably be studying something that brings in serious cash, so maybe

When you all start acting like you've reached some higher plane of existence with that mindset—that we should all be humble—that's when I'll admit I was wrong
I, as I already mentioned, don't believe in being humble ...and it looks like nimblestag31 agrees

What exactly is your issue? Read it again. If you need to go over it five times just to grasp the point, then go ahead and write what you intended to say. It’s really not a big deal; I simply pointed out that only three people here claimed they are humble toward doctors... which means the majority hasn't expressed an opinion at all
My mom is actually laughing at you right now... because you're being so adorably clueless 😉

Well, give my best to your mother. It’s quite kind of her, really. Who knows, maybe our paths will cross on some street in Chicago or something... though, given how much you've managed to inflate your own ego in this thread already, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't recognize me through all that self-importance.

Of course my ego is through the roof—there’s plenty of reason for it to be
unlike some people 🙄

P. S. 😁for those who enjoy reading between the lines, now is your chance, though I suppose this will just be taken literally... typical

Noah Vaughn3 said:What's up with this... what even is this?? Honestly, you all really need to learn how to be a little more humble... seriously... And even if nimblestag31 actually said that... I mean, seriously, who cares?...
Look, once you guys start getting a little too full of yourselves with that kind of attitude, maybe then I'll admit I was wrong... if you actually learned a thing or two about being humble...
Look, like I’ve already said a million times, I really don't think anyone should be acting all humble and submissive... and honestly, seeing that nimblestag31 is on the same page as me just proves my point. Seriously, though, can we please stop grouping us all together in one giant bucket? Just one request! Because let's be real, there are plenty of people out there actually doing their jobs with total integrity and none of this nonsense...

😉

Man, honestly, just don't go pointing out that it was a slip of the tongue... otherwise, you're just asking for trouble... 😬 🤣

And who exactly are YOU people? Seriously, who do YOU think you are...?! 🤔

Noah Vaughn3 said:of course my ego is through the roof, and honestly, I’ve earned it
unlike some people 🙄

P. S. so, for those of you who absolutely love reading between the lines, now is your chance, but don't go taking this literally because that would be just typical 😁

Seriously though, how on earth can anyone interpret someone having a bit of an attitude as being, like... I don't even know, just a certain dose of arrogance? It makes zero sense...🙂

@Noah Vaughn3, I honestly hope you’re just being stubborn and typing too fast. Based on everything I’ve read in your posts, you come across as someone who is selfish, egocentric, messy, and completely devoid of empathy. If that's actually the case, maybe medicine isn't the right field for you 🙂 ...you should probably just finish your degree and then head into pathology, because I don't think you'd know how to deal with living patients... I guess we're all just cattle to you anyway, constantly bothering doctors for no reason, even though we clearly have no clue how much harder doctors have it compared to regular people in this perfect country 😬 ...

I mean, honestly—I don't know—but you clearly missed the literal point here. If I had actually said "All of you need to be humble," then it would have carried that exact meaning, and nothing else at all.
"You" refers to people.
Please, let’s not pretend you're some genius who can read my mind—if you actually knew what I was thinking, you wouldn't be claiming that nimblestag31 told everyone to be humble. Based on what I wrote—asking if "you all need to be humble"—it's pretty obvious that's my stance.
Absolutely ridiculous.