‘Tis the season for illness, or so it seems. I honestly think that one in every three people is sick right now. Okay, so my study is in no way scientific, but just by looking around the office (and listening), I definitely think I am on to something. Maybe it’s this weather? One minute we are in the arctic tundra and the next minute I am running around wearing only a sweatshirt and no jacket. This up and down with the temperature cannot bode well for our overall health. Also, it doesn’t help that the holidays are extremely busy and filled with family and friends who are very germy (no offense to my family and friends…you are all beautiful and healthy. I definitely caught my sickness from Mother Nature and not you people). But with sickness, comes the need to visit the dreaded Doctor.
Now, not all doctors are dreaded. Many of them are pleasant and nice to be around. They are professionals with personalities. They, even if they are not, tend to be interested in you and want to try and make you feel better. They clearly love their jobs and they enjoy taking care of people. We all know that there are doctors out there that are not so friendly. They are a little more miserable; a little less willing to hear you out. They are not as concerned with your ailments because in their mind you are coming in with the same issue as the guy before you and everyone after you as well. But the personalities are not what make the doctor so dreaded. I have dealt with nasty people before, and you just have to kill them with kindness. So no, I am not turned off with going to the doctor because of the mean ones. I dread going to the doctor because, no matter how personable they are, doctors always run late!!!
I realize this might be an overgeneralization, and I may be only speaking from personal experience, but I am telling you, it doesn’t matter which doctors office I go to, or which doctor I see, I will never, ever be seen on time. You call to make the appointment and the receptionist takes down your information. They confirm your appointment time, and then they end the conversation with “be sure and arrive a few minutes early.” WHY?? So I can sit in your germ-infested waiting area and read your germ-infested magazines or fill out paperwork with your germ-infested pens? But being the reliable patient that I am, I always arrive early. Dumb.
Every time a physician’s assistant comes out to call someone’s name, you look up and make eye contact. It’s as if they are taunting you. “Maybe the name on my clipboard is yours? And maybe it isn’t. You’ll have to just wait and see…muahahahaha.” Name after name is called and none of them are yours. Finally, you hear your name, you stand up and you are escorted into the back. They take you into one of the exam rooms where they ask you why you’re here, never once looking up from their, now, laptop computers. They take your temperature; check your heart rate, then your pulse. Once their done they say the six words you know mean absolutely nothing: “The doctor will be in shortly.” You just want to stand up and shout…LIAR! The doctor is never in shortly. If they were being honest, they should say something like “The doctor knows you are not feeling well, but you are not sick enough for him to rush in here. Chances are we are going to give you a Z-pack and send you on your way. But, we must make you wait because that’s how we do it around here.” Then the truth unfolds…the doc comes in, gives you a once over, and prescribes a Z-pack. Done and done. So why then, does it take so long to go through the motions?
It has to make you wonder that maybe running late is a requirement to get your degree in medical school? You think? Maybe there is a class that doctor’s take in college where running late is the only objective, and in doing so, you pass! I think the only reason I can come to these ridiculous conclusions is a) because it happens more often than not, and b) its just disrespectful. Whether or not the doctor feels this way or not, it makes the patient feel like their time is less valuable.
So, to all my friends out there in medical school – first off, you rock! I am proud to say you are my friend and that you are going through this much schooling to make the world a healthier, better place. For this, I am grateful. And secondly, get a watch; probably a really expensive and rich watch because you are making bank, but get one. Your patients will appreciate your timeliness, and won’t dread visiting you so much. Trust me. Happy watch shopping!
No comments:
Post a Comment