Your thoughts on medical doctors

Sivadee00

Be they a GP (general practitioner), psychologist, psychiatrist, surgeon, or dentist...what are your current views, experiences, and what are your expectations of them?

Do you trust them? Like them? Nervous about them? What changes would you like to see happen between doctors and their patients?

JukeboxHeroine

I trust my doctor. I chose her because I knew she was a smart doctor who would listen to me. I've met others I did not trust. It varies widely.

Vikka_V

I am afraid of doctors. I don't know why, but I get very nervous. I guess I am afraid of bad news. I have white coat syndrome at the doctors office too. Same thing at the dentist. I do go to the dentist regularly and to the doctor if I have a problem, but I procrastinate about booking annual physicals. I go to the eye doctor, no problem. I trust and like all my doctors, if I didn't I would get a second opinion or find a new one.

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JukeboxHeroine

Google will convince you that you died two weeks ago.

Francl27

It depends on the doctor honestly. I haven't really had a GP I loved. I tolerate mine because she's much better than my last 3.

I like my dentist/hygienist though. Liked the old one too. That helps. GYN, I LOVED my old one but I moved so had to find another one. Not too thrilled about the new one, but it is what it is.

I trust them mostly. I kinda roll my eyes at my GP's recommendations of eating 'fat free' everything because of my cholesterol though.

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crackpotbaby

They are people.

Some are good at what they do, some are not.

....................

Today I worked closely with a two doctors to put a stent in the totally occluded coronary artery of a 50 yo man who was having a major heart attack.

The Drs restored perfusion to the huge area of heart supplied by the blocked vessel.

The man is alive.

I think those doctors are pretty bloody awesome.

ceiswyn

Various doctors spent ten years telling me my ankle hurt because I was fat. I'd actually broken it.

I had a counsellor tell me that I was depressed because I was fat, when I have a family history of major depressive disorder on both sides of my family.

I don't trust doctors, and I avoid them unless I need medication.

SomebodyWakeUpHIcks

I expect mine to look like this

ronjsteele1

Doctors are for trauma care. I appreciate them for broken bones, trauma care, etc. They work for me, I'm not there to do what they tell me. I take their advice, weigh it against my research, and decide what is best for me/my family after that. I'm not hesitant to seek a second opinion and I use alternative medicine doctors liberally. There's good doctors out there and bad ones (both medical and natural). I interview extensively. But in general, I usually do the opposite of what medical doctors say to. That has worked pretty well for the last 10+ yrs. I expect it will continue to work.

Ironandwine69

They make way too much money

SomebodyWakeUpHIcks

@Ironandwine69 wrote: »

They make way too much money

What do you do and how much do you make?

upoffthemat

I think they are a resource that should be used, but still need to do my own research and ask my own questions. GPs can't know everything, a good GP will actually admit that.

Ironandwine69

I am in finance and make close to six figures.
My brother is a anesthesiologist and makes mid 300k. He does crosswords during surgeries.

gianna42

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

They make way too much money

Not sure I agree with this. Physicians go to school for 8 years, do a minimum of a 3 year residency (more for any specialty) - that's 11 years of training before they even "start". Compared to other professions that require less education, training, and responsibility, I'm not sure that they're overpaid.

Just_J_Now

gianna42 wrote: »

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

They make way too much money

Not sure I agree with this. Physicians go to school for 8 years, do a minimum of a 3 year residency (more for any specialty) - that's 11 years of training before they even "start". Compared to other professions that require less education, training, and responsibility, I'm not sure that they're overpaid.

Agree! I think pro athletes are the ones who make way too much money. But this thread is about the docs so.....carry on.

SomebodyWakeUpHIcks

@Ironandwine69 wrote: »

I am in finance and make close to six figures.
My brother is a anesthesiologist and makes mid 300k. He does crosswords during surgeries.

You make close to $100,000? That's too much.

How long did you go to school for finance compared to your brother going through medical school?

Ironandwine69

SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »

@Ironandwine69 wrote: »

I am in finance and make close to six figures.
My brother is a anesthesiologist and makes mid 300k. He does crosswords during surgeries.

You make close to $100,000? That's too much.

How long did you go to school for finance compared to your brother going through medical school?

I went to college and grad school. Yes my brother went through alot od schooling.

I was joking though, most people get paid for what they know rather than what they do. For example my brother can sit there doing crosswords during surgeries, but he has to know what to do if something goes south. And that's what he gets paid for.

Ironandwine69

abitoftrouble wrote: »

SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »

@Ironandwine69 wrote: »

I am in finance and make close to six figures.
My brother is a anesthesiologist and makes mid 300k. He does crosswords during surgeries.

You make close to $100,000? That's too much.

How long did you go to school for finance compared to your brother going through medical school?

Yeah but he does crosswords while at work! She just posts on mfp so it's not the same.

Exactly!!
Not even close!

jvcjim

i require my doctors to have all my vices. they need to drink, be obese, smoke tobacco (at least occasionally), enjoy women, not be gluten free, not any level of "vegetarian" (although we are all vegetarians... many of us just prefer that something else does the conversion from plant to meat... thats why animals exist)

that said my gp is female and so is my dentist all the others are men.... i trust them for the most part... and when they suggest silly things like weight loss surgery i can look at them and say "how is that working for you". doctors are like any other professional they can offer advice and your job is to advocate for your own care.

T0M_K

sudoku is where its at. everyone knows.

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jvcjim

cabronlobos wrote: »

I get paid like a doctor to basically goof off all day....I think I'm underpaid!!

sadly me too, and i do not have to pay a malpractice insurance premium

Ironandwine69

cabronlobos wrote: »

I get paid like a doctor to basically goof off all day....I think I'm underpaid!!

Maybe if you start doing Sudoku they will see you're actually doing something. That's if you're any good at it.

Sharon_C

Generally I trust my doctor if I'm sick or something is broken. For health advise I do not trust him and am actually looking for a new doctor. At my last physical he noticed my weight was up. I said, yes, but my measurements are down and I'm weight lifting so I believe I'm putting on muscle. His response, "Everybody says that. Do less weight lifting and more cardio."

Um. No. That's old school and that's telling me you're not up to date on stuff. Time to find another doctor.

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StarvingDiva

I trust them to an extent. I have come across some that I did not like or appreciate. My old primary care, wouldn't even really acknowledge me she was too busy typing on her computer everything I was saying, so I grasp she was listening but I didn't feel heard at all so I changed. I take their advice, and than I do my own research and I do whats best for me. I also do alternative medicine such as acupuncture, chiropractor etc. I had to get put on birth control for 18 months and I decided to go with a non hormonal IUD, the first one slipped, so I had to have it taken out and have a new one put in, when I went to have it taken out my normal Gyno wasn't there so I got some guy, afterwards he asked me what I was going to do now, and I said we are going to give it another go and then asked me why I chose the non hormonal one, I explained I was pcos and I didn't like hormones and for myself chose the non-hormonal route. He went on and on about how hormones are safe and xyz. After he was done I politely said, Regardless, I am going with the paragard. Its my body, my choice. Luckily he didn't push it further or things might not have been so polite.

ew_david

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

I am in finance and make close to six figures.
My brother is a anesthesiologist and makes mid 300k. He does crosswords during surgeries.

He's also watching Netflix.

animatorswearbras

I think doctors are appropriately paid considering the amount of education, training and responsibility. There are thousands of other professions that are severely under and overpaid respectively, for example many care workers are underpaid, I won't go into professions that I believe are actually overpaid.

As for my trust in doctors I have a lot, but they are not infallible, we are extremely complicated bags of meat and there are still gaps in medical understanding which are constantly being reevaluated, plus cross overs in symptoms that present the same for completely different ailments. Complete honesty with your GP is essential but second and even third opinions can be sought if you feel you're not receiving the correct care or you're being incorrectly assessed.