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Doctors are usually quite smart. They are academically bright , as proven by the fact that they managed to get into medical college inspite of intense competition; and have successfully graduated from a demanding course. Also, while not all doctors are brain surgeons, most are intelligent and have a high opinion of their own intellectual abilities.

However, some of them are quite badly behaved. They are rude to their patients - and make them wait interminably in their waiting rooms, for no good reason. Since doctors are in the business of saving lives , some of them start behaving as if they were demiGods. It's quite easy for them to delude themselves into having a very high opinion of their worth. This is often bolstered by their patients, who look upto doctors and often worship them. ( As a pithy saying goes, the reason doctors are on pedestals is because patients are on their knees !)

There are many reasons which contribute to this inflated opinion doctors have of themselves. For one thing, many doctors interact primarily only with their patients . Because they have a very limited worldview, they view themselves as being masters of their ( little) world. Also, they are top guns in the hospital hierarchy, and are used to having nurses and assistants obey their every little whim - something which reinforces their view that they are the best !

Also, not only does a big ego seem to be an occupational hazard, it also seems to be a contagious disorder. Residents learn to acquire their "high and mighty" style from their bosses in the hospital during their rounds - and this is a trait which seems to run in certain departments ( for example, heart surgeons). It's also much commoner in doctors who work in hospitals ( as compared to those who own their own clinics).

However, I think the real reason some doctors have such an inflated ego is because they have low self esteem - and an inferiority complex, which they try to hide . Many of them earn much less than their peers - and it's well known that MD postgraduates earn a fraction of their MBA colleagues. This burns many doctors up - especially when they recollect that these same MBA grads did much worse than they did in school. This is why some doctors need to primp and preen to show their patients who is the boss !

Good doctors, who have high self-esteem, do not need to put on these false airs and waste their time in posturing !

But talking about doctors and egos does remind me of this old joke.

A man dies & goes to Heaven.

Upon arriving at the Pearly Gates he is told "Welcome to Heaven, everyone is equal here."

The man is then given a tour of Heaven and finds that it is indeed true.

The man decides he's just got to try the food & goes & stands in the cafeteria line.

While waiting ,a man in green scrubs goes rushing to the front of the line & gets his food ahead of all the others.

"Hey, I thought everyone is equal here. Why did he jump the line?"

"Oh, him?" says St Peter, "That's God, he is just playing at being a Doctor ."

While many doctors handle their VIP Patients with kid gloves, the way they deal with most of their " run of the mill " patients leaves a lot to be desired. This is not because all doctors are arrogant, but because they simply do not have the luxury of time to be able to "sit down and chat" with their patients. Unfortunately, these hurried 5 min consultations create a lot of unhappiness and angst - both for doctors and patients. Patients feel neglected and unheard - and can become very resentful and angry when things go wrong. Doctors also suffer. Because they do not get a chance to establish a bond with their patients, they lose out on a very powerful source of gratification and happiness . Thanks from patients can provide powerful emotional fuel to help the doctor lead a meaningful and productive life !

A simple solution for doctors would be to treat every patient as if she were a medical professional. This does not mean that they need to use medical jargon when they talk to their patients ! It just means they you need to be respectful and courteous - the way most doctors naturally behave, when they talk to other doctors !

Trust, but verify – This was undoubtedly one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received; and when it comes to your health, it’s absolutely imperative that you follow it. I don’t mean to imply that your doctor is incapable or inefficient, but when it comes to major medical issues, it’s always advisable to get a second opinion. This way, you not only prevent irreparable medical errors, you also gain peace of mind in knowing you made the right choice after taking into consideration all the factors at hand.

While most people know that a second opinion is important, they don’t know how to go about getting one. The most difficult part of this decision is finding a doctor or healthcare professional they can trust. Also, if both doctors provide contrasting opinions, how do they know whom to believe without going in for a third opinion? The answer to this differs from patient to patient – it varies according to various factors like cost, time, urgency, effort, opinions of friends and family, and others.

In general, a second opinion is desirable and even necessary when the diagnosis is complicated and not easy, when the surgical or medical procedure recommended by your doctor is risky and could have permanent or devastating consequences, when you don’t believe your primary doctor’s opinion or when you think you may have a condition that they have not diagnosed, when you believe that there are alternatives to your doctor’s suggested course of treatment that are less invasive, less painful, and equally effective, when your primary doctor is not a specialist in the disease you suffer from and other physicians are more qualified to offer opinions, or when you’re just confused and don’t know what to do.

Diagnoses of cancer, heart disease and the recommendation of a bypass or other kind of surgery, amputation of a limb, hysterectomy, termination of pregnancy for a fetal anomaly or danger to the mother’s health, removal of brain and other malignant tumors, and other such major life-affecting decisions are better taken with a second and even third opinion.
If you’re ready for a second opinion and want to get one, ask your doctor (if he or she is not going to be offended) or someone you trust to recommend a suitable specialist or healthcare facility.

Check with your insurance provider if your second opinion is covered in your policy or if you will incur an additional cost. If the second opinion varies significantly from the first, get a third and even fourth opinion to be sure, especially in the case of life-threatening or life-changing diseases and conditions. When you’ve decided on the course of treatment that you think is right for you, get your primary doctor to transfer your medical history and records to your new healthcare provider.

And finally, a word of advice; before you seek a second opinion, read up about your condition or disease through books and other sources that are validated and reputable. Don’t believe random Internet sites that are not authenticated or written by a specialist. This knowledge is just for information purposes alone, not something that you base your final decision on. Leave that to your doctor as he or she knows best when it comes to treatment and management of disease.

This article is contributed by Susan White, who regularly writes on the subject of surgical technician schools. She invites your questions, comments at her email address: susan.white33@gmail.com.