Now, having just switched my insurance, I've had a whole new experience with doctors. At school, of course, I just make an appt. and wait 3 months and then head on down to the health center and bam- done with. Now there is some list of doctors, thats not kept up to date, that you can search, and after you spend a half an hour judging people by their names, and call up a few offices that aren't open thursday at 230 pm for some reason, then they assign you someone else. Great. I've had two such appointments in the last week.
The first was with my gynecologist. Since I have an HMO, I wanted to to know if my gyno could also be my primary care physician. My last gynecologist was really the only doctor I went to, she gave me all my referrals, refilled my scripts. If I was sick I just went to the clinic, so my gnyo was the only one I saw regularly. Long story short after I saw the doctor she said yes she could be my PCP. Great!
I asked the receptionist, and she explained in a sugary voice "you can see her in this office for everything related to your girly parts." OK. Do I look ten? Seriously I guess someone who is 29 years of age should know how an HMO works, but do I deserve an answer that someone who doesn't have her period yet might get? Fine I let that one go.
FF to today. Swear to god, the doctor I was assigned through that pick and not choose
rigamarole looked about my age (actual picture at right). I guess late 20s and early thirties are a touch and go time.He walks in "hey kiddo, how ya doing?" Ok . . . I'll let that slide only because they had sodoku in the waiting room.He was really nice and understanding, everything you want a doctor to be, except called me kiddo 2 more times and then rounded the visit off with a "ok sweatheart, you take care of yourself." This made me uncomfortable.
Does this mean I look young? Or was this doctor not sure how to refer to me as we were near the same age. I looked him up and he's four years older. Not that it matters, but it was just weird. This has never happened to me before. If I hadn't of met ol Girly-parts just a few days before I might have said something...but maybe its just me. Does this bother anyone else? Where does amicable intentions cross the line to condescension.
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5 comments:
Well, they do say Californians are much friendlier than us east-coasters ... do you think that could be part of it? The doc sounds way over-friendly and bordering on inappropriate (sweetheart?), but maybe not to a Californian's ears. It also seemed to me the receptionist is a bit uncomfortable with her assignment. You'd think she'd have gotten used to saying gynecological by now.
Ay, Sarita. The doctors at Yale spoil you for the world outside that system, seriously. Ob-Gyn docs are generally super condescending, in my experience. Why is that?
I am incredibly old fashioned and usually call all people I don't know "Mr." and "Ms.", so YES that would bother me too, and I've have similar experiences (not with doctors necessarily). A few years ago my doctor (who I actually really like, though she IS condescending sometimes) asked if I was an INTERN at the company I was working at-was that really even needed?
It should bother anyone. What about the ER doctor right here on the East Coast " when you stop taking that kind of medicine suddenly, you kind of feel the same way you do when you step in dog shit." Maybe he was from California originally. I think these young docs have seen too many episodes of "House." It's not alright to talk to strangers this way, let alone your patients! If we weren't feeling so crummy we'd tell 'em.
doc quote of all doc quotes: "don't f*ck around with malaria!" hahahahaha! good times...
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