Examining My Navel
This is going to come out wrong. I just know it.
I'm going to sound all falsely modest or worse, and I swear on all that is chocolate that's what has held me from writing this in the first place. In fact, if it hadn't been for the interactions I had in the dentist's office on Wednesday, I would still be poking pointy sticks at it to see how to write this without sounding like some whiny, pseudo-egalitarian candy-ass.
So, here goes:
The scene: Our heroine, entering one of the dental rooms, for fixing of a molar that has chipped, creating twin serrated surfaces intent on flaying her tongue with every word she utters. (Oh, hush. Creative license. Felt like the Grand Canyon.)
Sweet, Chipper Hygenist: "Hi! And how are you?"
Diana: "Just great."
SCH: "So. How does it feel. You know. Being finished with it all. All done with all the studying. I mean you're a medical doctor, aren't you? How does it feel?"
Diana: (blink-blink....Hell, it's been 14 years since I graduated. 11 since I finished residency. Can't really remember back that far....) "Ummm...just great!"
SCH: "I mean, you worked so hard! All those hours! All the studying! And now you're finished! It must just feel great! And now you're a Doctor! Wow!"
Diana: "But you worked hard, too. You studied, put your life on hold. You know what it's like."
SCH: "But I'm not a dentist."
Diana: "Yeah. I know. You still did all that."
(Flash forward to our heroine's dentist, Dr Dentist, coming in to the room)
Dr Dentist: "Hi Diana! So, chipped tooth, huh? How'd you do it?"
Diana: "Heh. Sorta embarrassing. Bit on a turkey sandwich. My jaw slid and I cracked top and bottom molars sharply. Was hard enough to shake me up for a second."
Dr D: "So, you have Wednesday afternoons off?"
Diana: "Yup. I only work two-and-a-half days a week. I have the world's best schedule."
Dr D: "I have Friday's off, but I have to work 11 hour days the the other four days to do it. But I can't complain to anyone who's a doctor about the hours. Boy. The hours YOU guys put in."
Diana: "Heh. All in the past. Your hours are way worse."
I just don't get it.
I'm not pretending here. I really, really don't get it. Yes, the hours were long. Yes, the loans were best not thought about. Yes, the stories were really good (wish I could remember most of them). I have no idea if it was at all like combat. I've never been in combat. But, you see, we were all doing this voluntarily. We all wanted this gig. Med school and internship and residency and all that shitty VA cafeteria coffee was the gold ring. We were really fucking lucky. We were not smarter. We were stubborn, lucky enough to know what we wanted, agreeable to sign away for ghastly sums in loans, and, again, lucky. We were good at deferring gratification. Most of us also were very good at taking standardized exams. Many of us were good at memorizing minutiae and seeing patterns. That's it. That's the sum of it. Not brains. Brains really didn't enter much into it. Trust me. Yes, some are truly brainy. They are a minority.
We were also not the only ones who fell in to this category. Everyone who works at what they do, paid or unpaid, is of the same ilk: Full-time parents, full-time nannies, full-time barbers, part-time barbers who are with their kids 4 days a week, the extremely nice and competent checker at the local Shopko who does everything right and whose line I stand in if she is working, no matter how long it is, etc, etc, etc.
Man! I just don't know how to respond to either the baffling hero worship, as with the hygenist, or the hierarchy, as with my dentist. Misdirected anger, I get. Somebody did them wrong and their trust is destroyed. I am cool with that. Guilt by association. Everybody in medicine is an uncaring, incompetent asshole. The problem with that is that they usually don't take it out solely on me, but the office staff, but that is another post.
I try to never tell people what I do when I am meeting them for the first time in a social situation, for just this reason. I want them to get to know me for as long as possible before they toss on the baggage that goes with the title. The reaction is almost always the same: They either gush or pull back. I really debated whether or not to even put it in the blog, but as it is part and parcel of me, I decided to throw it out there and be done with it. It is exhausting hiding things.
Working in a small town amplifies this, as expected. I truly had to work to get my non-doctor provider colleagues to call me by my first name. People like our Physical Therapist (who is getting his doctorate, for god's sake!) and the Nurse Practitioners. That's all who I've managed to convert. Our Physical Therapy Assistant won't. Our techs and receptionists won't. Our RN won't, despite my threatening to call her "Nurse Lastname" until she does. (Yeah, empty threat. I'm lazy. She knows it.) She maintains that it is not respectful for her to call me by my first name, despite me calling her by hers. I maintain that it perpetuates an unfair hierarchy. She smiles at me, shakes her head at my bolshie ways, pats me on the back and refuses all the same. Yes, we are exactly the same age, born with in 2 weeks of each other. We share parenting woes. We tell crude jokes to each other. Still, crude jokes not-withstanding, calling me "Diana" instead of "Dr Piffle" somehow implies the respect due to me.
Yes, I do get some of it on a basic level. I guess it is easier to take a pill that has the same active ingredient as rat poison if you believe that the person prescribing it has, not just the years in, but some extra magic, beyond the reading of the literature and the certification of the boards.
I just wish we deserved it.
Really, though, we don't.
Sorry.
I'm going to sound all falsely modest or worse, and I swear on all that is chocolate that's what has held me from writing this in the first place. In fact, if it hadn't been for the interactions I had in the dentist's office on Wednesday, I would still be poking pointy sticks at it to see how to write this without sounding like some whiny, pseudo-egalitarian candy-ass.
So, here goes:
The scene: Our heroine, entering one of the dental rooms, for fixing of a molar that has chipped, creating twin serrated surfaces intent on flaying her tongue with every word she utters. (Oh, hush. Creative license. Felt like the Grand Canyon.)
Sweet, Chipper Hygenist: "Hi! And how are you?"
Diana: "Just great."
SCH: "So. How does it feel. You know. Being finished with it all. All done with all the studying. I mean you're a medical doctor, aren't you? How does it feel?"
Diana: (blink-blink....Hell, it's been 14 years since I graduated. 11 since I finished residency. Can't really remember back that far....) "Ummm...just great!"
SCH: "I mean, you worked so hard! All those hours! All the studying! And now you're finished! It must just feel great! And now you're a Doctor! Wow!"
Diana: "But you worked hard, too. You studied, put your life on hold. You know what it's like."
SCH: "But I'm not a dentist."
Diana: "Yeah. I know. You still did all that."
(Flash forward to our heroine's dentist, Dr Dentist, coming in to the room)
Dr Dentist: "Hi Diana! So, chipped tooth, huh? How'd you do it?"
Diana: "Heh. Sorta embarrassing. Bit on a turkey sandwich. My jaw slid and I cracked top and bottom molars sharply. Was hard enough to shake me up for a second."
Dr D: "So, you have Wednesday afternoons off?"
Diana: "Yup. I only work two-and-a-half days a week. I have the world's best schedule."
Dr D: "I have Friday's off, but I have to work 11 hour days the the other four days to do it. But I can't complain to anyone who's a doctor about the hours. Boy. The hours YOU guys put in."
Diana: "Heh. All in the past. Your hours are way worse."
I just don't get it.
I'm not pretending here. I really, really don't get it. Yes, the hours were long. Yes, the loans were best not thought about. Yes, the stories were really good (wish I could remember most of them). I have no idea if it was at all like combat. I've never been in combat. But, you see, we were all doing this voluntarily. We all wanted this gig. Med school and internship and residency and all that shitty VA cafeteria coffee was the gold ring. We were really fucking lucky. We were not smarter. We were stubborn, lucky enough to know what we wanted, agreeable to sign away for ghastly sums in loans, and, again, lucky. We were good at deferring gratification. Most of us also were very good at taking standardized exams. Many of us were good at memorizing minutiae and seeing patterns. That's it. That's the sum of it. Not brains. Brains really didn't enter much into it. Trust me. Yes, some are truly brainy. They are a minority.
We were also not the only ones who fell in to this category. Everyone who works at what they do, paid or unpaid, is of the same ilk: Full-time parents, full-time nannies, full-time barbers, part-time barbers who are with their kids 4 days a week, the extremely nice and competent checker at the local Shopko who does everything right and whose line I stand in if she is working, no matter how long it is, etc, etc, etc.
Man! I just don't know how to respond to either the baffling hero worship, as with the hygenist, or the hierarchy, as with my dentist. Misdirected anger, I get. Somebody did them wrong and their trust is destroyed. I am cool with that. Guilt by association. Everybody in medicine is an uncaring, incompetent asshole. The problem with that is that they usually don't take it out solely on me, but the office staff, but that is another post.
I try to never tell people what I do when I am meeting them for the first time in a social situation, for just this reason. I want them to get to know me for as long as possible before they toss on the baggage that goes with the title. The reaction is almost always the same: They either gush or pull back. I really debated whether or not to even put it in the blog, but as it is part and parcel of me, I decided to throw it out there and be done with it. It is exhausting hiding things.
Working in a small town amplifies this, as expected. I truly had to work to get my non-doctor provider colleagues to call me by my first name. People like our Physical Therapist (who is getting his doctorate, for god's sake!) and the Nurse Practitioners. That's all who I've managed to convert. Our Physical Therapy Assistant won't. Our techs and receptionists won't. Our RN won't, despite my threatening to call her "Nurse Lastname" until she does. (Yeah, empty threat. I'm lazy. She knows it.) She maintains that it is not respectful for her to call me by my first name, despite me calling her by hers. I maintain that it perpetuates an unfair hierarchy. She smiles at me, shakes her head at my bolshie ways, pats me on the back and refuses all the same. Yes, we are exactly the same age, born with in 2 weeks of each other. We share parenting woes. We tell crude jokes to each other. Still, crude jokes not-withstanding, calling me "Diana" instead of "Dr Piffle" somehow implies the respect due to me.
Yes, I do get some of it on a basic level. I guess it is easier to take a pill that has the same active ingredient as rat poison if you believe that the person prescribing it has, not just the years in, but some extra magic, beyond the reading of the literature and the certification of the boards.
I just wish we deserved it.
Really, though, we don't.
Sorry.
Labels: Workish
posted by Diana at 2:31 PM
31 Comments:
Dude. You seem very nice. Kind, competent, caring, too. But you're not god. Or even God. I don't understand that mentality. The only doctors I call by their first names are the ones who are old enough to be my grandpa. Otherwise, I figure we're all in the patient care arena together. What I do isn't any less important than what you do. In fact, I've stopped several doctors from trying to kill my patients.
Although sometimes I call other nurses Nurse LastName just for fun. It's so archaic! We're oldschool!
I have this problem sometimes, referring to people by Mr./Mrs./Ms. so and so. I do it out of respect. however, with people I work closely with, I always use the first name. I guess it just depends on the other person's comfort level.
Stigmas suck (to put it bluntly). I work for lawyers, I should know. My bosses are automatically assumed to be crooks, but they're not. They are the good kind. Comes with the territory, I guess.
oh, and they didn't baptise him in the buff, although I did suggest it. We went through three gowns before we finally found one that fit. then, at the baptism, the little bib-like thing that has the fish and other symbols on it wouldn't fit over his head either. got it on video. wicked funny!
Linda- So, please, WHY would you call me Dr Piffle and not Diana? Maybe it is more West coast vs Midwest? Pretty much all of the ICU nurses in Portland called me Diana as did many of the floor nurses, at least the ones who knew me at all, but as that was in the hospital that I started in as an intern, (and it is usual to call house staff by their first name, at least there, unless when talking in front of a patient (gasp!)), maybe that is just a roll-over? Why this implied distinction? Especially between those of similar ages? Funny that the docs I call by title are a few of the older ones (or someone I don't know, of course). As you so correctly say, we ARE all in this together. If I asked you to call me "Diana", would that make a difference or would you still feel uncomfortable?
"Dude" would work, too.
Amy- Too funny! Poor Weeble, scarred for life. Too many brains in that squash.
I was wondering on your take, too, with the JDs. So you call them by their first names, right? For me, that seems proper as they call you "Amy", yes?
I go by the "you call me by my first name, I call you by your first name" rule. You call me Ms. Listmaker, I'll call you Dr. Piffle, otherwise it's Listie and Diana. Maybe it's living among attorneys and college faculty all these years, or just the fact that I'm past the half century mark, but I'm well over advanced degree intimidation.
Respect. There's lot of decent people out there who deserve it. I figure you've earned your place among them, and recognizing your own humanity is certainly key to earning that slot.
As far as the title goes, the title is nothing without the person behind it. They're a handy way of conveying respect without sucking up. Heck, we could write a whole book about the pros and cons of titles. But, hey, they've been useful for thousands of years, and that's kind of important.
Of course, I live in a world of titles, and I'm probably a bit biased.
I'm glad you're put off by the hero worship. Just confirms that you're not taking your title too seriously. And, you ought to see me cringe when my kids call me "Colonel." I prefer, "Dude."
Zoomie
Tell that that they are showing you DISRESPECT when they continue to call you by a name that you have expressly told them that you prefer they not use. Then watch their faces as they adjust to that bit of information.
I'm all hung up on names. Spellings, pronunciation, usage.
When I got married, I hypenated my last name. It steams me to no end when people call me Mrs. [husband's last name]. That's not my name. It's especially bad when they have my name written down right in front of them. GAH!
And, oh! I just worship you (in a non-creepy way), but not because you're a doctor (or a hero), but rather because you're funny and bright and a lot of what you say resonates with me.
p.s. That rat-poison medicine was developed at the U. of Wi. It's named for the Wisconsin Alumni research Association (WARF). I bet you knew that though. And yes, I do RULE at games that require endless knowledge of useless trivia.
Geeze, now you've got me thinking - who are the people I know that I call by their first names and that are doctors?
SHOULD I be calling them Dr. Soandso?
I've just never even thought about it this way before...
I'm confused- If there is something wrong with your navel, go to a DOCTOR!! They know everything!! :)Just kidding- I do understand where you are coming from but I also think that there are so many different people we meet, coming from very diverse backgrounds that you should feel comfortable with whatever they choose to call you. My parents would have never thought to call any Dr. by their first name unless they knew them on a personal level. Where as my OB/Gyn and I both call each other by our last names. Go figure. I have real issues with telling people what my degree is and where I work. There are many times I don't tell the truth. Sometimes it is easier than having them go all PITA on me... See said too much again! Let me know how it goes with the navel thing...
Hmmm...interesting. I've never had any of the physicians I've worked with suggest I call them by their first names, even outside the clinic at Christmas parties, etc, it's still Dr. BlahBlahBlahNStuff...
I am Christie at work, occasionally a patient will ask me what they should call me and it's always "Christie" To a select few for some reason I'm Dr. Christie no matter how many times I explain I'm not a doctor. Most of my patients I call by first name, a few of the older one's are Mr. or Ms. A lot of them are Ms. Tracy or Ms. Edna...
Just please don't ask me when I'm going to be a real doctor...I might have to bite you.
I actually worship you - like Teri(in the most non-creepy way of course) because you are a great person- thoughtful, kind, honest, funny, and I could go on and on. You did work quite hard to do what you do- I remember. You're the whole package, Dude- great person, hardworking, and not arrogant. Believe me, at my old job we processed a lot of letters and people felt compelled to put all their academic designations and crap on their letters as if it made their cases and issues more important. Like lawyers who use "Esquire" or "Esq" - Okay, Lord fancypants- You're important- we get it.
I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow. He's Norwegian and about 150 years old. I call him Dr. N. and its really hard not to laugh when he says in his Swedish Chef voice "just relax now" during my exam.
You Rock!
I think things might be a bit more relaxed on the West Coast. I've got two doctors appts. coming up in the next couple of months. I usually avoid the whole issue of calling people Dr. This or That by just not ever addressing them by name, which is pretty easy to avoid.
Maybe, though, I'll see what happens if I call them Anne and Jim. They're both around my age, so why not?
They're both also really not hung up on the doctor thing, so they'd probably be fine with it.
I will definitely be calling you Diana when we meet up to swill beer this summer.
Listie- Oh, good! Now I know what to call you. Listmaker just seemed a bit formal, now that we've been chatting for a while. I completely agree with the reciprocal name thing. I found that with the PhDs, there was much less "doctor"ing, but, again, this was from liberal Portland, and most of them were in berkenstocks and wool socks with bits of moss in their hair (biology profs, you know).
Favorite Cousin Zoomie- Ooooh, good perspective. In the military, you indeed live in the ultimate world of titles. For you, the title advances with the promotion, so, at least in theory, there is some tie between respect and ability.
Teri- Yeah. Tried that one a couple of times. She laughed. Hey, at least she finds me amusing.
Really! WARFarin! I didn't know that one. I knew Lasix (for LASts SIX hours) and Premarin (for PREgnant MARes urINe, of course). I love such trivia.
(You know I worship you right back and then some.)
Gerah- Only call the "doctor" if you are pissed at them.
Kate- (snicker) I agree completely. If I call you Kate as I shake your hand and prepare to get all personal with your health and life, you should call me what ever makes it less, well, horrible. I introduce myself as "Diana Lastname" and have a large ID badge with my full name and "MD" in big print on the lapel. The traditional white coat also identifies my role (I have to have the pockets). Maybe this is wrong or too confusing, but it feels most comfortable to me.
(Now I am even more curious as to your alter ego...Where does she spend her days when not racking up therapy points for her adorable kids? I picture a black cape involved.)
Maybe the navel needs a piercing? Nah. Would make it more interesting to examine, though.
Christie- WOW. Really? Not even socially? Maybe it IS a regional thing. Do they refer to each other as "Dr"? Now I do like the Ms Edna thing. Respect yet familiarity.
Man, our two NPs get that "real doctor" thing almost hourly. Sheesh. One of them, if there's time, launches into a 10 minute, drawn-out explanation that leaves the questioner very, very sorry and educated at the same time. The other is more humane and just smiles and cracks a joke.
Stacy- Well, you've seen the whole underbelly of the process, including that cave of an apartment, complete with mold on the wall. You've seen me (and Dee) with no sleep for days on end and unbathed, trailing flies. Such the picture of exaultedness! Thank god you were around to help Charles keep me sane. I couldn't have done it without you. Let's talk about me worshiping you, sweetie. I'm loving your Dr N. (Mm, bjork, bjork, bjork!)
Rozanne- Yes. Do call them Anne and Jim. See if they blink.
Damn! I'm looking forward to hoisting a few with you!
I think it depends for me....
If I have a professional relationship with a doctor, I lean toward calling her Dr.LastName. It's a society-installed habit of politeness. But if they express a preference, I'll abide by it. It's another politeness thing to use new person's preferences.
I call my vet and chiro Dr.FirstName instead, and they don't seem to mind.
Love the pic in your last post, btw - what crazy kids! Ginger and Leif just ignored each other studiously when they were first introduced. Even 5 years later, the closest they get is when Ginger starts sniffing Leif's ball and he's eyeing her nervously.
Karen
I dunno, Diana. I am of two minds. On one hand, my brother is a doctor, so it seems insane to put doctors on pedestals as some kind of superhuman beings. I remember my brother's adorable, freckly toddler years!
On the other hand, my brother is a doctor, and he is a very smart, determined, hardworking guy who voluntarily chose years of sanctioned torture in order to do something really useful and admirable with his life. So I feel that doctors should get an additional modicum of respect.
Of course, so should nurses and a lot of other people who tend to get screwed in the "respect" department. But I am more inclined to add honorifics to them than to take them away from you.
We could use more honorifics in general, I think. But that comes from the point of view of someone who moved to the south and has been really pleased and touched by the way people still call each other "ma'am" and "sir."
OOPS. I misspoke. I would NEVER call you Dr. Piffle. If we were working together and I asked you your name and you said, "Dr. Piffle, young woman!" I would roll my eyes and check your nametag and call you Diana. The only doctors I DO call Dr. Doctor are the old guys who I would feel weird calling Wayne or Tom or whatever.
I do try to say Dr. So-and-so when I'm speaking to families. This helps them learn their doctors' names and the patient-doctor relationship is different than the nurse-doctor relationship.
Funny story: the other night I admitted a patient with a big ICH and after we got him settled his family came in. Immediately a man swoooped up to me, shook my hand, and said, "I'm Tom, Greg's brother-in-law. I'M A DOCTOR." I mentally rolled my eyes, thought "Yippee for you," and was thankful that this wasn't going to be my patient for more than an hour.
Linda- Oh, good! That makes sense. (Probably because it is what I do, and therefore it is right, right?) How funny!(Although poor ICH guy, hope he recovers better than is hoped for.) I always feel odd in that situation. I usually sound somewhat medical when asking a question, trying not to sound like a total asswipe, which leads to the "you must have some medical background" thing, making it ok to say what I do. I am the defacto designated medical liason for the family. (I am hearing the b-i-l saying it slowly, as talking to someone challenged: "I'M A DOCK..TOR!")
You know what's funny? I forget that you're a doctor. I mean, I know you are and all but I still think of as Diana, Super Mom, Defender of the Plants and Battler of Deer.
As for the whole doctor/patient thing, it depends on the person. My last doctor was Deb and great and funny and I adored her and she was Physician's Assistant and I was so ticked when my brother told me I had to find a "real" doctor. What makes her not real?
The guy I'm seeing now (or have seen once) is Dr. Soandso because that's how he's been introduced to me. I have no desire to call him by his first name, I actually want to go back to Deb because I miss her but it's such a hassle to get to her (have to take the whole day off of work).
I go with the title out of respect (plus it's also a job requirement) but I love it when people ask me to call them by first name.
I respect anyone that graduated from college, no matter what their job is. And I rarely fawn over anyone. Although, you know, you being a doctor, you could probably afford to adopt me and raise me in the manner that I believe I deserve. Yes, yes, only kidding. I'll go clean my room now.
The docs are on a first name basis with eachother...which is a little freaky for the rest of us. When one of them says to go tell Greg something we're like "who??"
I don't get pissy about the real doctor thing, however I know several PA's and a bunch of NP's that do. I had a patient one time say something to our office manager about why his bills were so much, blah blah blah when I wasn't a real doctor and he hadn't known I wasn't a real doctor or else he'd be going to a real doctor (and the butthead damn well knew what I was...) so I try to make sure they know so if they end up telling someone I never told 'em I can kick 'em in the shins.
Done ranting now, bad day, sorry to hijack your comments :-P Xanax anyone??? Anyone??
I think doctors have earned their titles (most, anyway), so if we haven't been introduced with first names, I'd go with Dr. Lastname. If you knew someone before they were a doctor, it would be wierd to start calling them Doctor. As for PAs and NPs, we have had 3 great ones (one at my OBs office and two at the pediatrician). Why AREN'T they called "Doctor" is what I want to know? Babies at this practice will alternate all those well visits between the Doc and the NP, so we have gotten to know the NP very well. I think we've seen her more than the doc, actually, and she's just great! I wish I could find someone like her for my check-ups. I've been bad and haven't been to a regular doc in years (only have gone to the OB/GYN). So, DIANA, how does one go about finding a good doc (or NP or PA)??
Dana- The way I look at it is if others can see her, too, she is probably "real" and not imaginary. (Heh, sorry.) I guess the bottom line is to use the term "provider" rather than "doctor". She is a medical provider and can provide medical care within her scope of practice. NPs and PAs are generally excellent providers. My ob/gyn is a NP. She did everything but the last Ob visit, the delivery and post-c-section care for Sara. I adore and trust her. She knows more women's health than I do as it's all she does (and I know a lot). Perhaps Deb can recommend a colleague that has a similar style that is close to you? I recommended others for my patients all the time when they needed to change.
Ahem. And WHY isn't your room clean, yet, young lady? Just what have you been doing with all your time? Frittering it away?
Christie- Heavens, I love lots of discussion. Talk away! (And, please correct me if I put my foot in my mouth.) I really wonder what would happen if you just started calling your MD colleagues by their first names. (I'm a rabble rouser.) The main problem we have at our clinic is that some insurance plans don't cover visits by anyone other than a physician, so our amazing NPs can't see some people. That completely twists my shorts.
Colleen- Good question. The "doctor" title is conferred by having completed your doctorate degree in medicine (MD) osteopathic medicine (DO) chiropractic medicine (DC) dentistry (DMD), naturopathic medicine (ND), veternary medicine (DVM), etc, etc, etc. Lawyers have their doctorate of jurisprudence (JD) but for some reason aren't called "doctor". PhDs are also referred to as "doctor", though. If a PA or NP had their doctorate (I know of some nurses with their doctorate of nursing degrees) they would be entitled to be known as "doctor" but not a medical doctor. Yes, confusing.
When I had the primary care practice, after it had filled and I was "closed", I made it a policy to take new patients if they had an "in": friends or family members of established patients. You might ask your friends if they love their provider and, if so, call the office and say that you are a friend/family member of Provider X's patient and, even if the practice is closed, would Provider X take you on? Most would.
Diana, OH, sorry, excuse me, DR. Piffle (couldn't resist) -
I don't really know any doctors, other than you and we've never actually met. I forget, like DM does, that you're a doctor because you're much more than that. It is admirable that you worked towards your goal, but anyone working towards a goal and achieving it deserves a bit of respect. Respect doesn't come from calling someone by a proper name though. It is a sign of respect that some appreciate and others don't. If you're telling people not to call you doctor, they should respect you and call you Diana. That's respect. Listening.
They really named premarin after what it is? That isn't just someone having fun with acronyms? That's too funny for words.
p.s. I've been wondering - just what exactly do oranges have to do with this all, anyway?
Thanks for the advice! I'll have to ask around and then use your technique.
Sheesh... I've read your blog profile a whole bunch of times and never even noticed the "I'm a doctor" part. If a crime is committed, you don't want me as your witness.
I admire people who have careers which have required a great commitment of time and focus. I think I'm reasonably bright, but I just can't focus on any one thing for more than a couple of years. I worked for a few years as a TV reporter and radio announcer. I then tried pharmacy school and then switched to regular med school and a couple years later I saw another bright, shiny object and decided I wanted to be a web designer. I think I probably was supposed to become a veterinarian, but gah, I'd get distracted and end up in floral design. I don't have ADD, I'm just interested in *everything* in the entire world, and I lack the discipline to channel my energies into one task for very long.
So, you have my respect for knowing what you wanted to do in life, and for following through on it. I think that's a great accomplishment, whether you're a doctor or a chef or a teacher or whatever.
Beth- That's it! I knew she didn't respect me, that nurse of ours. Seriously, that's what I think, but then, she'd say that I was not respecting her in conforming to her comfort level. Can't win.
Teri- Who is this "Teri"? I don't think there is supposed to be a "Teri" here, is there? Isn't "Teri" supposed to be turning her brains to green Jell-o with the studying? (kiss, kiss, darling)
Colleen- My pleasure.
Leigh-Ann- Funny, I think that's what makes someone interesting, in part, a very wide range of real interests. Focus, for me, was a matter of luck. Had I not gotten hit in the head with the "be a doctor" one day, as a thunderclap, I'd likely be doing mediocre work in computers or something. For me, absolutely no focus without interest. (By the way, how very cool is it that you were a TV reporter? States or Canada? From the bit of Canadian news I have seen, years ago, that looked like some fun. Good not-very-subtle taunting of bad politicians and such. You knew Charles is Canadian, right? Well, recently he's become 1/2 Yank, 1/2 Canuck.)
I was a TV reporter in Canada for "current affairs" shows on Global TV and the CBC (mainly the latter). Then I was a news announcer on radio in Canada, and after I moved to the US I stayed in radio, and worked as a news announcer as well as a program director. A decade later, I realized I was earning just about the same salary as when I started working, which is why I started to look for something else to do. It's fine to be 18 years old and earning $18K, but when you're almost 30 and still doing it, well, it's time to branch out :)
I didn't know Charles was Canadian, but I'm afraid I'll have to withhold more comment until I know which hockey team he supports.
Sounds like being a Dr. is like being a teacher--everyone is convinced that you don't really work or really put in anytime learning to do it. I am really getting tired of folks insisting that I get evenings and summers and weekends off. When did I ever go to grad school if not in July and August? I then remind them that they go to technical schools during their regular work-days. But I just smile and think what real asses they are.
The Ole RF-er
This stuff goes both ways. As a technician and a woman I generally didn't tell people what I did because they looked down on me - not up. They acted like my job was the plague and couldn't understand why I would do it over, say, being a secretary which is whatI did before I worked my "ass" off to become a technician. It was also associated with being "gay" so to avoid that title I had to dress and act more feminine that was sometimes practical to either avoid being hit on or avoid the male snide comments. Ah, well, life does go on. If everyone in life would just treat others like they would like to be treated and thought of what a wonderful life of relationships we would have!
Aloha, C.
Leigh-Ann- As he would say, "Go Leafs!" As to the rest: Seriously Cool!
Dad- Actually, I think we as doctors get more respect, or at least odd respect, than we deserve. Teachers get the opposite, except from me, of course.
Cathy- How odd. I honestly brag about what you did as a technician because I always thought it was quite cool. I certainly know what that whole "woman in a man's world" thing feels like.
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