Comments on: "Surgeons eat their own" http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html medical blog Sun, 21 Mar 2010 20:43:56 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html/comment-page-1#comment-78555 Anonymous Fri, 03 Aug 2007 02:45:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html#comment-78555 I avoided surgery because the residency culture at my school was so f**King mean! Not just competetive, but plain mean. <br/><br/>But I think that I would have been good at the work and think now that I ought to at least have given serious consideration to looking around for a saner program--but that was all I knew then. I rotated through surgery at the school where I later interned and there was a little of that but not 25% of what it was where I went to school. <br/><br/>I see in the community surgeons who never bought into that and cluster together and treat each other (and patients) like gentlemen. Others still think meanness is the mark of a good surgeon, but once out of residency, they are avoidable I think. Don't let that alone stop you. There is a world beyond med school. I avoided surgery because the residency culture at my school was so f**King mean! Not just competetive, but plain mean.

But I think that I would have been good at the work and think now that I ought to at least have given serious consideration to looking around for a saner program–but that was all I knew then. I rotated through surgery at the school where I later interned and there was a little of that but not 25% of what it was where I went to school.

I see in the community surgeons who never bought into that and cluster together and treat each other (and patients) like gentlemen. Others still think meanness is the mark of a good surgeon, but once out of residency, they are avoidable I think. Don’t let that alone stop you. There is a world beyond med school.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html/comment-page-1#comment-78523 Anonymous Thu, 02 Aug 2007 10:32:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html#comment-78523 Fellowship is easier than private practice by far and I can see how the actual job will be easier than most. Sometimes at night I will rant to the wife about how unfair it is that the oncologists have to make one or two decisions about a patient and spend 10 minutes in the room when I used to have to make 5-6 decisions about a patient for the "office visit" and spend more time for much less money. She keeps trying to tell me I'm not doing that anymore, but it still make me angry because it doesn't seem fair.<br/><br/>The only problem is that the subspecialists think they know general medicine outside of their specialty and I've had to make the decision either to challenge them about stupid stuff (uh, you shouldn't treat BPPV with high dose steroids sir) or just keep my mouth shut for the sake of avoiding confrontation. It is hard for me to do the latter.<br/><br/>If you have the chance, leave and do fellowship. It is more money for less work. I promise you.<br/>b Fellowship is easier than private practice by far and I can see how the actual job will be easier than most. Sometimes at night I will rant to the wife about how unfair it is that the oncologists have to make one or two decisions about a patient and spend 10 minutes in the room when I used to have to make 5-6 decisions about a patient for the “office visit” and spend more time for much less money. She keeps trying to tell me I’m not doing that anymore, but it still make me angry because it doesn’t seem fair.

The only problem is that the subspecialists think they know general medicine outside of their specialty and I’ve had to make the decision either to challenge them about stupid stuff (uh, you shouldn’t treat BPPV with high dose steroids sir) or just keep my mouth shut for the sake of avoiding confrontation. It is hard for me to do the latter.

If you have the chance, leave and do fellowship. It is more money for less work. I promise you.
b

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html/comment-page-1#comment-78517 Anonymous Thu, 02 Aug 2007 02:07:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html#comment-78517 Hey b:<br/>How is fellowship? Hey b:
How is fellowship?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html/comment-page-1#comment-78514 Anonymous Thu, 02 Aug 2007 01:22:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html#comment-78514 I don't believe that behavior is confined to the surgical subspecialties. I just think they are most honest and upfront about it, compared to the backstabbing and fake smiles that I've seen in medicine training and practice. <br/>b I don’t believe that behavior is confined to the surgical subspecialties. I just think they are most honest and upfront about it, compared to the backstabbing and fake smiles that I’ve seen in medicine training and practice.
b

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html/comment-page-1#comment-78510 Anonymous Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:49:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/08/surgeons-eat-their-own.html#comment-78510 Trust me, the behavior continues into private practice. All we do is butt heads all day in my surgical group. The level of egocentricity is likely found in other competitive careers. I still am astonished at the absence of respect for other group members, and the lack of leadership, exhibited. There is no matter or amount too small to argue about. If you do not stand up for yourself and your interests, you will be steamrolled and nobody will care. The culture is piss on me, piss on you in perpetual motion. Trust me, the behavior continues into private practice. All we do is butt heads all day in my surgical group. The level of egocentricity is likely found in other competitive careers. I still am astonished at the absence of respect for other group members, and the lack of leadership, exhibited. There is no matter or amount too small to argue about. If you do not stand up for yourself and your interests, you will be steamrolled and nobody will care. The culture is piss on me, piss on you in perpetual motion.

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