One thing I've realized lately is that as a doctor, it helps immensely to be outgoing. It also helps in life, but especially in medicine.
I don't think I'm naturally outgoing. I'm not introverted either, but maybe something in-between. Like if there was a 10 point scale where 1 would be a computer programmer who works at home and has Asperger's, and 10 would be, like, Jim Carrey, I'd be a 5. Or maybe, at best, a 6.
If you work in an office, there's usually a constant set of coworkers and staff that you can get to know over time. But in most fields of medicine, you're constantly meeting new people, both patients and staff. If you're not good at it, people won't like you as much.
For that reason, even though I'm a 5, I really try to make an effort. But it's hard.
When I was a fourth year med student on an away rotation at an outpatient clinic, I started one week before another student named John. Within a day or two, John knew the names of all the staff at the front desk and was friendly with them. I'd been there over a week, and I barely knew who they were.
It's entirely possible the staff thought I was too big a snob to get to know them. But that wasn't the case. My natural instinct is that I feel too shy to just go up and start introducing myself to all the staff. But I still think it ended up reflecting badly on me.
The same is true when meeting new patients. If you're nervous about meeting new people, patients may also see you as cold and unlikable. I recall doctors I've seen as a patient that I didn't like, and many of them were probably somewhat introverted.
I guess my point is that if you're an introvert, you should probably either avoid medicine, or choose a field that doesn't involve much patient care.
I am introverted (more than extraverted) and most certainly rank lower on your scale. 3 or 4? Its an effort for me to be friendly with any staff, especially staff that intentionally does not do their job. However being in primary care, I learned to be chattier than I normally am. I had such a following of patients in my old practice that a lot of them canceled their appointments in the practice after I left. I stopped by at the office days after I already fisnished my last week. Patient standing at the front desk turned 90 degrees when she heard receptionist approach me by my name. Patient informed me that she was to be my new patient but since I am not there she is cancelling her primary appointment and two appointments with specialists. She does not wish to be a patient of that whole practice since I am not there. And she has not met me before.
ReplyDeleteWhere I am working now, two support staff already informed me they requested to stay working with me, and not be transfered to other MD's. Again, I am not "friendly" chatty with staff. I have kids at home to rush to. And I do my work without non-sense interruptions. I think I am lucky to be working in a setting where honest hard work and "direct" approach are appreciated.
Good luck to you. Just remember you do not have to "suck up" to the staff. They will still appreciate your good work. You are competent, prompt, care for your patients. Do not worry about being liked.
But likely it took you years to develop those relationships. Whereas more extroverted people might achieve the same thing faster (and possibly ruin it if they turn out to be a jerk).
DeleteI was in the job where I developed relationships less than 2 years. I am in my new job less than 2 years.
DeleteI agree with Anonymous. Sometimes drs that are too extroverted talk too much and listen too little. As for the office staff, as long as you smile, listen to them, and act otherwise respectfully, they will warm up to you over time. You don't need to have an instant connection to be a good doctor, especially in primary care. It's better if you build your relationships over time.
ReplyDeleteFor those who don't like talking to patients at all there's always: Path, Rads, Rad Onc, Anesthesiology, and Critical care.
Maybe it's more important in training than afterwards, since you have less time to build those relationships.
DeleteBeing a suck up is a definite bonus during training. Probably most of those people are outgoing. :-)
DeleteI'd argue that Anesthesia and Critical Care are really important to be able to talk and be outgoing and quick to win people's trust.
ReplyDelete"Hi, I'm Dr Gas, and in 20 minutes I'm going to make sure you are alseep, breathing and not feeling a thing, while Dr. Knife makes holes in your innards and reroutes them."
"Hi, I'm Dr. Pressor. We've never met, and I don't know your Mom like her internist has for 45 years, but she's really sick. And probably not going to male it. Let's talk about the details. Trust me."
You really have to have some outgoing character in you to quickly win strangers trust like that. Especially since you usually can't choose a different Anesthesiologist or ICU doc.
You could argue that.... and I don't disagree. However LOTS (i.e. practically all) of the people I know who went into it did it because they don't have to talk to patients as much as say.... a primary care dr. (Also they like poking people with needles.)
DeleteTouché. I do love me a good opportunity to poke people with needles. I had to do EM though. I wasn't good enough at crosswords and sodoku for Gas.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably on then end of the scale toward the programmer type. When dealing with the public I have a "persona" that I have named "my evil twin Jennifer" - not that she is evil - just that she is not shy, retiring, reclusive me. She is afraid of nothing and nobody. I also use her when I am dealing with pushy insurance agents and auto sales people.
ReplyDeleteI think the events of LIFE change and mature a person. After teaching about 10 years at the college level, I went from a 1 to an 8, according to your scale.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I've become much more extroverted as I've gotten older.
DeleteI consider my introversion a flaw (and my answer to the "derp what's your biggest weakness herp" interview question). Fortunately, I've worked to deal with it in college through tutoring people, which forced me to interact with many new people every week.
ReplyDeleteVery funny and fresh pic of cartoons , Thanks for this unique collection, Its change my mood so Great work and keep it up , I will come again to see some new updates
ReplyDeleteThanks a Lot
I think the same is true for college professors. A lot of my friends that are in graduate school make great scholars because they love to spend lots of time alone in the library reading books all by themselves and becoming experts on esoteric topics that no one else really cares about. That's great until... you have to be a teacher. And guess what? Students would rather not study with the socially awkward, lives in his own world, professor. So I feel your pain, both as a patient & as a professional-in-training.
ReplyDeleteAbigail
I would like to posit that introversion is viewed less favorably in men than it is in women. During medical training, it is encouraged to adopt an air of confidence, i.e. "fake it till you make it." I was often blasted for being too quiet, though I knew my shit. I always thought that people could see past my quieter moments to realize that I knew my medicine, but alas, only a handful of attendings or residents could truly see what I was capable of. It was really frustrating. As an introverted male, the fact that I wasn't speaking up often was seen as a lack of confidence, which would in effect mean a lack of medical knowledge.
ReplyDeleteAt one point during third year I was really considering a career in OB/Gyn, but I don't think I had the requisite outgoing personality for it. I don't think most women want the shy, retiring type during their labor, nor do they want to see them in clinic.
Introverts unwind by being alone. That doesn't mean they're socially incompetent or that they can't easily make friends... it just means that it's more draining to be around a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteI'm almost entirely introverted, but I have no problems connecting with patients. I get an odd one every once and a while who absolutely hates me (I'm still trying to figure out why), but the vast majority of the patients I see love me and say I'll be a good doctor some day.
I rotated through Ortho a couple months ago, and one of the attendings made several comments about how quiet I was (because I'd much rather observe things than make small talk), but when it came time for me to do my job, there wasn't any complaints.