A doctor explains why some doctors can be jerks (Article)

There have been a number of references in some of the current threads about how some doctors can be jerks.

Many of us have had this uncomfortable experience, of having to deal with a doctor who is rude, condescending, impatient, etc.

And there are lots of articles out there about this.

I found the one below on this subject, written by a doctor, to be a good one, because the writer goes into specific reasons rather than generalities as to why some doctors wind up behaving this way.

For example:

"… as there are over 6000 new research studies published world-wide each day, our fear of failing to know everything we “should” causes many of us to hide behind a veil of toughness. Arrogance is often just a cover for vulnerability."

and

"We are frequently interrupted (in the midst of very grave conversations, for example) with requests for approval of Tylenol orders, coding clarifications for duplicate insurance documents" (That is, many doctors get stressed out by daily trivia, and it translates into their metamorphosizing into jerks).

and (interestingly):

"Trauma surgeons, cardio-thoracic surgeons, and neurosurgeons have the strongest jerk traits, while pediatricians, physiatrists, and family physicians are probably on the other end of that scale. There are some exceptions, of course, but actually not many."

The article then goes on to offer some suggestions on how to deal with doctors who are proving to be jerks, with "do's" and "don'ts" for how to react in such situations.

The author discusses other "jerk-inducing" factors. In sum, if a doctor is being a jerk, there may be a reason for it.

getbetterhealth.com/in-defense-of-doctors-why-we-act-like-jerks-and-how-to-handle-us-when-we-do/2012.07.05

Another thing my journey has taught me about doctors....

Once a doctor makes a mistake on a patient, that patient is no longer the teacher's pet. The guard REALLY goes up when it's obvious (to the world) that the doctor made mistakes. Once defensiveness sets in, trust is damaged. The mistake isn't what causes the trust to be broken, or at least in my case it wasn't. Having been a professional pilot, I understand human error. It's the defensiveness that sets in on the doc's part that breaks down the communication. And I understand that as well. I would never advise anyone to admit wrong-doing when the consequences of doing so could be grave, and the mistake was just that....a mistake. We all make them. No one is perfect.

But what happens then is....other doctors don't like having to fix other doctors mistakes. (there are exceptions, and those are the exceptional doctors). The now treating doctor is now operating under on a foundation of (and the added stress of), "I didn't create this mess and I'd rather not have to clean it up! This isn't my problem! Why can't the guy who made this mess clean up his own mess!"

ALL that said, the right doctor can be found for the right problem for any patient. I'm convinced of that. If you're not happy with your doctor, keep looking. He's out there.

(And I have to throw this in (at the risk of being the jerk that I can be as well)...being a doctor is no different from any other occupation. They are hired help. And hired help, if you've been in business for yourself for very long a time at all, can be hard to come by.

That's my 2 cents on this topic.

island time said...
Another thing my journey has taught me about doctors....

Once a doctor makes a mistake on a patient, that patient is no longer the teacher's pet...

island time, you speak with respected authority on this topic. I know this, but not everyone does. You should consider modifying your profile to make this more clear, because it is clearly a relevant part of your journey. Consider changing from "...3mm lateral margin +..." to "...3mm lateral iatrogenic margin +..."

Why are doctors any different from the rest of us? I've worked with and met many non doctors that are jerks.
Speciality doctors may seem different because their personalities and motives for seeking that speciality are different. Family doctors are more motivated by affiliation (liking and the need to be liked) than a specialist who is more driven by demonstrating his superior skills and the prestige that comes with being a specialist.
Just like a VP of HR has different personality traits and motives than a VP of Operations or Engineering in any corporation. It's the same with doctors. Motives self select the type of jobs we will take and also determine how one will perform in that specific job.

Tim G. –

Yes, a little googling shows that there are indeed a bunch of articles out there that deal with the other side of this coin, that doctors as well are sometimes forced to deal with patients who act as jerks. I found more than a few such articles.

But one in particular that I came across discusses something that I found a bit startling, although it makes sense when you think about it. Namely, that patients who act as jerks with their doctors are more often likely to be misdiagnosed.

It would indeed seem to follow that patients who distract their doctors by displaying jerky behavior, may interrupt their doctors' thought processes to the degree that the docs sometimes wind up misdiagnosing the patients.

The article that discusses this:

www.vox.com/2016/3/19/11265464/doctors-misdiagnose-rude-patients

So the moral is clear. That even if we are angry with a doctor, and may feel like becoming confrontational with him, it may be in our best interest not to do so. We certainly don't want to rile him up to the point where he gets so distracted that he decides, and then tells us, that we have a problem that we don't. .

81GyGuy said...
Tim G. –

Yes, a little googling shows that there are indeed a bunch of articles out there that deal with the other side of this coin, that doctors as well are sometimes forced to deal with patients who act as jerks. I found more than a few such articles.

But one in particular that I came across discusses something that I found a bit startling, although it makes sense when you think about it. Namely, that patients who act as jerks with their doctors are more often likely to be misdiagnosed.

It would indeed seem to follow that patients who distract their doctors by displaying jerky behavior, may interrupt their doctors' thought processes to the degree that the docs sometimes wind up misdiagnosing the patients.

The article that discusses this:

www.vox.com/2016/3/19/11265464/doctors-misdiagnose-rude-patients

So the moral is clear. That even if we are angry with a doctor, and may feel like becoming confrontational with him, it may be in our best interest not to do so. We certainly don't want to rile him up to the point where he gets so distracted that he decides, and then tells us, that we have a problem that we don't. .

O mijn god, this study was done in the Netherlands, where the rudeness index is much lower than in most other countries.

For those who are interested in doctor-patient relationships and medical outcomes, the books How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman (RIP) and and What Doctors Feel by Danielle Ofri are instructive.