Doktor jangan belagak naa.

Assalamualaikum and helloo

Ok I should really be studying right now but if I didn't type this out it would just be collecting spider webs at the back of my head. Few months back I read an article on Medscape written by a medical student from the University of Texas on "Arrogant Physician". As I spent my days with various clinical encounters, I couldn't agree more to this element in the medical profession that often appears so naturally, arrogance.

Perhaps it comes with the package, the profession itself needs confidence.  Senior doctors and consultants often deserve their bit of arrogance, seeing to the fact that their vast knowledge of medical mysteries is where patients trust their lives with. Some people think "arrogant" is too strong a word to describe such competence displayed by certain doctors.

I was once in a surgical team in the Mater Hospital, and I was standing in the theatre minding my own pointless business. The specialist surgeon was stiching up a wound and a scrub nurse helped out by cutting off the sutures. The surgeon suddenly blurted out, "Hey hey! Don't cut MY knot!" and literally grab the scissors from the poor lady's hands. Tekejut mak noks. She seemed really annoyed by the fact that the nurse didn't cut her knot the way she wants it. Haih.

And then I was in another theatre, the registrar and intern are really nice. I use the word 'nice' for all doctors who didn't ignore students, although in real life all doctors are nice because they save lives. Hahah. They were both working on a patient, no problems arise, when the consultant suddenly walked in like a boss. He went to the operating table and started saying no to everything that his team is doing, scolding people like mad and in the end, grab his own scrubs and shoo people away so he can get it done the way he wants it done. Lol. Also, he did not give a single glance to all timid medical students standing around the corner. Siapalah aku.. Sobs

So what say you? My story is a little bit biased, and it only happened once or twice during my entire clinical rotations. Generally, the rest of the doctors and consultants are really into teaching students and helping out on areas too difficult for us to comprehend. But this little group of physicians with an attitude so 'complicated', really place an impression on mere mortals like us.

If I were to become a doctor one day inshaAllah, I pray that I won't be the kind that only thinks about how right she is and how wrong everybody else are. The fact that your knowledge itself came from God, who are we to deserve such pride in our careers.