I seem to get this question any time I meet a new doctor, about 5-10 minutes into talking to them. In the past year I met several OB's (while selecting one for the pregnancy), several of my mom's doctors (her language barrier is most apparent when talking to medical people, so I try to go with her as much as geography makes possible), Hubby's doctor (he had to be put out for a procedure, so I was the chauffeur/responsible for drug administration and monitoring), and several pediatricians (while selecting one for the little one), and they all asked me this question. Could it be because:
Oh, and I am looking forward to some day answering this question with: "I am a doctor, just not a medical type" ;)
- I come in with detailed notes of symptoms, along with exact measurements where appropriate (body temperature, blood pressure, medicines taken and dosages, that sort of thing);
- I anticipate their questions and provide relevant information even if they haven't asked for it directly;
- I ask which of the symptoms are causes vs. effects (i.e., did the headache cause the high blood pressure or vice verse?);
- I know the names of most of the diseases they can throw at me and roughly what they are;
- I know most of the current hoopla in the media and have an opinion on whether they are hype or something to pay attention to (vaccines, new research findings, etc.);
- I come prepared with questions.
Oh, and I am looking forward to some day answering this question with: "I am a doctor, just not a medical type" ;)
9 comments:
When my grampa was in hospice care, one of the nurses asked me if I was a doctor because I kept track of his medications and made sure he got them on time. Even then it entertained me to say "no, I'm a meteorologist." :)
I usually respond, "Nope, just a scientist." If pressed, I usually tell them that "I'm a researcher, it's what I do. I research." It does entertain me, though. :)
This happens to me all the time too! I've found using correct anatomical terms as well, convinces them that you MUST be in the medical field. Nope...just precise and educated. Thanks...
I get that from our dogs' vets too. I think most people don't prepare or ask questions like this. I get the impression from talking to my MD friends that a lot of patients just want their doctors to tell them what to do, which is really too bad.
I went to the midwife's office for my very first appointment praying that they wouldn't waste my time explaining what a cervix and uterus was. After an hour meeting (really! that much face time with a clinician) I had learned SOOOO much from her. And believe-you-me, I had informed myself quite thoroughly.
I go to midwives that work in a large practice with 3 OBs. The midwife I had the consult with had delivered over 1000 babies before she saw me. The depth of knowledge coming from this nurse impressed this voracious self-informer. I was totally sold on that medical model and she also won my trust. Her colleagues each won my confidence individually. It was clear to me they had the hands-on knowledge, but were also reading the current literature. And they had all adopted the proper tone from the get-go. No one spoke down to me until I opened my mouth (has that happened to your readers?).
NJS - clearly, taking notes makes you a doctor :)
Amanda - it is fun, isn't it? I think the docs also give us more in-depth answers as opposed to a non-scientist.
Banshee - I wonder if this means that the average patient doesn't know the basic terminology... which would be just sad.
MH - I can't imagine doing something to my body without understanding why and how it corrects the problem, or why the problem is there in the first place. Are people really content to just do what they are told?
PUI prof - I think sheer experience is harder to pick up from books/internets. I like the term "self-informer," I will have to remember that. And I don't think I have been spoken down to before, not sure why this would be an appropriate strategy when addressing a patient?!?
I'm totally with you, but I have to say that my experience with medicine is that it is not an exact science, no pun intended.
More often than not, doctors don't know exactly why the problem is there. They may know how to treat the symptoms, but not how to cure the cause. Sometimes finding the right treatment for the symptoms is even a bit of a trial-and-error process.
I still like being actively involved in my own healthcare but honestly, after all the research, note-taking and questioning, a lot of times I wind up taking the medical advice of a doctor I trust after all. So one could theoretically argue that the end result would've been the same regardless of whether I did my research.
I'm not advocating passivity when it comes to one's health, but I can understand how someone with little understanding of biology/medicine, who hasn't been trained to think critically and question others' assertions, and who regards doctors as authority figures, might opt for simply trusting that the doctor knows what is best.
I could have written your post! doctors/pharmacists are usually pretty taken aback when you ask intelligent questions, or question a result they just toss out at you, and assume you must be a doctor/medical student. Not just intelligant and interested!
Most of the doctors I have encountered, when prompted have been very nice and polite, and seem to appreciate that I have an understanding of the human body/drugs and their effects. They've then continued the conversation with me, being a little less careful of their jargon. And then if I don't understand, I will always ask.
MH - a close relative of mine had recently undergone an experimental treatment for a technically incurable disease, and it worked, even though it is my understanding that they don't really know why it works. I know how little we understand about the human body, but that only drives my curiosity! On another hand, I think some of the decisions doctors make are arbitrary, and I would like to have a say in those cases (more in a later post on this).
The lab pixie - I think some doctors enjoy informed patients; I like them in particular as I get to learn things!
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