You most likely recall this introductory phrase from Dr. McCoy’s standard STO dialog. It was almost always followed by “not a bricklayer,” “not a psychic,” or something like that. A recent medical article brought this to mind. A urologist recently set off a lively discussion when she tweeted that she wished that her patients who were physicians would just state that up front because it simplified communication. Doctors speak to one another in medical jargon just as programmers, engineers and others each converse using their disciplines’ terminologies. We do that because it is efficient.
When seeing a new doctor or a nurse, I almost always bring up the fact that I am a retired physician. Susan does as well. We don’t expect any special consideration because we are physicians. We just want to tell our attending healthcare providers that we are comfortable talking about our care in clinical terms. At my most recent PCP visit, the doctor entered the exam room and greeted me, “Good afternoon, doctor. How are you doing?”
“Fine,” I answered. “The paresthesias are unchanged. I have no new symptoms, and I’ve had no side-effects from my medicines – no orthostatic hypotension or myalgias or anything at all. Can we go over my lab results?” We discussed the blood work results and my current level of physical activity, and I was on my way with refills for my medicines and a follow-up appointment. It was all very efficient.