Reply #5: Drug Dinners LOL!

[juno jones]

I once worked at a small deli that did a lot of business with the drug reps and the local doctors(we were in a city with a large med school). One time we were asked to do a traditional Indian meal for the local Indian physicians and their wives. Since I had some background in cooking other than sub sandwiches, my boss asked me if I would plan the menu and cook. I was proud to. Then the night came. None of the doctors brought their wives. They ate my meal while listening to the rep drone on about Paxil or Prozac or one of the other SSRI's. Then the party started. Seems the rep brought along a case of Johnny Walker Blue (about $100 a bottle). The docs pretty much divvied up one apiece and proceeded to get slammed. At one point, as these pillars of our community are raging like frat boys in the front room, my boss and I wound up hiding behind the ice machine for about 30 minutes, because every time we'd poke our head out, they wanted more beer for chasers, or more food 'off' the menu. I remember our nervous smiles...we were both seasoned restaurant dogs, some partying motherfuckers in our day, but these doctors had us beat...and they scared us...

Nothing against Indian doctors, most of these guys I'm talking about were born here. Docs and reps are pretty much the same all over. It's just the wildest example of the over-the-top weirdness that is pharm rep ass-kissing that I have encountered. My time in that town definitely made me see doctors in a whole new light. That includes time working as a 'simulated patient' at the med school. I sold my body to science while I was still in it. 30% of med students are good and will make fine doctors. 60% are doing it because they think it a 'good career', and the money is decent, but otherwise have no real draw to healing. The last 10% are scary, they only want the status and the money and have no empathy whatsoever. And because of the their status, they don't have to follow the rules you and I do. Funny. They will drug test a bus driver or the assembler of your shitty Taco Bell Grande, but doctors are never checked out. Have fun with that at your next surgery.