January 30, 2012

• Awkward Moments

  Do you feel weird when your doctor is the same age as you?

   

  There is always a slight amount of awkwardness on my part when I have patients my age in clinic. Not something I feel when patient are 5 years my junior, or 20 years my senior. A brief eye opening moment, of there but for the grace go I. Two 30 year olds walking into a room, one accepting the absolute authority of the other.

  It doesnt affect my care, my treatment, or anything I do, but I guess I just have more a sense of awkwardness. If i were in their position, would I accept me as a doctor? Who is this guy to tell me how to live my life?

  With our older patients, my fellow residents and I act like we know what it’s like to have to take 10 pills a day, or how easy it should be to lose weight and cant understand why patients aren’t following our instructions. With our younger patients, we have crossed the line into adulthood, joining the vast cabal of “grown-up” knowledge giving us our authority and right to tell them to have safe sex, stop smoking and the like.

  WHen someone walks into the room who is my age, I always feel like I have been caught in the act. As though they are gonna call me out and be like, well you had everyone fooled for a while, but time to give up the game. Cmon, lets go grab a beer or something and you can tell me how this whole doctor thing worked out.

  I wonder, will I ever settle comfortably into the white coat?

  • 12:53 pm
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