You know the old accusation that medical providers think they're God?

[Aristus]

I don't know why anyone would think that of us. When I tell my patients to quit smoking, and they don't, and I'm unable to smite them with lightning in retaliation, that pretty much disproves the allegation, wouldn't you say?

[unblock]

1. i've generally heard that accusation limited to surgeons.

[Aristus]

2. You'll see that accusation a lot with primary care providers if you're ever unlucky enough

to read or join a thread discussing the opioid epidemic and how we medical providers are trying to minimize the damage and the harm, while still providing our patients with appropriate medical care.

To listen to the narco-addicts, you'd think we were forked-tailed monsters laughingly enjoying the agony we cause by not dispensing unlimited narcotics to every patient with a pain complaint. And then retreating by limousine to our yachts where we laugh some more over cigars and sherry.

I get called names you wouldn't foist on Trump, for God's sake...

[unblock]

5. oh, i see. playing god vs. being a god.

i imagine the addicts call you far worse things than god or godlike or playing god or whatever.

when i was an emt i merely got death threats.

[Aristus]

6. I've had a few of those, too.

But mostly it's threats of lawsuits.

I respect the hell out of EMT's. You guys rock.

[Orrex]

3. yup

[Laffy Kat]

14. Yep, me too. Surgeons are the worst.

And the worse they are the better the surgeon--usually (not always). Most of the good ones are assholes to work for.

[Orrex]

4. You have far more experience this than I do, so I defer to your assessment

FWIW, though, when I have heard the accusation made by my fellow non-medicos, it is generally a commentary on the perception that physicians seem to speak as though they are authorities impervious to any doubt.

So the accusation would perhaps more accurately be phrased as "they think that they should be worshiped as gods," but that takes too long to say.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

7. I quit seeing a GP that would get pissed off if I questioned him about meds or procedures he

prescribed!

[Aristus]

9. Sounnds like a real prize.

I always explain medications and procedures to my patients, and answer all of their questions. Without doing that, a provider is not truly obtaining informed consent for whatever it is he is prescribing.

[TlalocW]

8. At my college the thinking - from one of the math professors - was thus

Sociologists think they're psychologists; psychologists think they're biologists; biologists think they're chemists; chemists think they're physicists; physicists think they're mathematicians, and mathematicians think they're gods.

Only the mathematicians are right.

TlalocW

[Duppers]

13. Love it! 😂

'tis true, 'tis true!



I well acquainted with the latter one.

[jmowreader]

10. Be glad you weren't a provider in St. Maries, Idaho, about this time last year

Some asshole in a wheelchair presented at the ER. When asked why he was there, AIAW told the doctor, "you are going to write me eight prescriptions for Oxycontin and give me an injection of Dilaudid. Right now." The doc informed AIAW the hospital stocks no Dilaudid (they don't) and he would be issuing zero prescriptions for anything to him. AIAW pulled a loaded pistol on the doc and told him that he WOULD be issuing eight prescriptions and he WOULD be injecting Dilaudid.

Unfortunately for AIAW, the hospital stocks plenty of general anesthetic, the doctor was in the 82nd Airborne...and the county jail is in the same block as the hospital.

[Aristus]

11. It's Idaho. I imagine a lot of transactions include a gun and threats.

Just one of ~ 10,000,000 reasons why you couldn't pay me to live in Idaho.

[raven mad]

12. My last hospital stay was to the tune of

a totally comedic medical team - I loved them all. Any bunch of docs, nurses, nurse assistants, etc. who can keep you giggling is well worth every second of doing what they tell you!

Oh, and my surgeon got the best one in - "What is the difference between a surgeon and God?" - "God doesn't think he's a surgeon."

Happiest of holidays, Aristus!

[LeftInTX]

15. We had an old crusty surgeon who thought he

was God. He would come on the unit and everyone would have to get out of his way. He only interacted with the charge nurse. Never looked at or spoke to me. If I was taking care of his patient, I would have to get out of the way and the charge nurse would have to fill in my shoes.

After he would leave, I could resume taking care of the patient and the charge nurse would go back to her regular duties.

[Aristus]

16. I like working down in the trenches of the medical profession.

No prima donnas down here.

The PA who trained me is a brilliant clinician, but a real humble down-to-Earth guy.