There's an old saying: "Doctor's make the worst patients." Typically, all people are the hardest to handle when you try to inform or instruct them in their own profession, but it's easy to understand why. What can start out as a simple doctor's appointment could feel like an an insult to their intelligence, like they don't know what they're doing? Just ask any of the physicians who shared what it's like when they go for a check-up.
Reddit user, u/Rampos7, wanted to know:
To the Doctors of reddit, what is it like when YOU have a doctor's appointment?
Keep It To Yourself
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I avoid disclosing I'm a doctor unless specifically asked what I do for work. I think I'm better taken care of when the doc/team is most comfortable and working in their routine. Difficult and demanding patients who request special treatment often have worse outcomes. I don't want to be one of them.
Oh...You're Not Asking Me...
Went to student health as a med student.
Attending I worked with the week before does my Pap. With a resident (he asked. I said yes).
Kept quizzing me "what am I looking for? What does it mean if the pap is positive?", etc. I am getting questions right but he's being real weird about it.
Realize in parking lot after appt he was asking the resident not me.
Rotate with said resident a few months later.
Sometimes, It's Not Always Cancer
It truly depends on the way you act, most of the time I won't tell the doctor that I'm also a doctor unless specifically asked about it or if there is a slip of my tongue about symptoms or any other medical words.
Some doctors tend to be not to specific when they know you are a doctor because "you already know what's happening" sometimes even my wife gets the ask your husband to clarify your questions.
I try to have an open mind when I'm the patient because we are trained to think the worst, so there is a lot of cancer in my mind.
Currently I work in a palliative care unit, I have had medical patients and carers, and I would say that it is truly diverse how they react, we are also human and we are sick and vulnerable the doctor vein can go completely of or go on overdrive... turning it of is better and less intrusive most of the time.
"Stop Raising A Ruckus, Kenneth!
Whenever my dad, who IS a doctor, took me in for an appointment when I was a kid, it was always super awkward because if anything was done even remotely incorrectly he'd basically do the medical equivalent of the "let me speak to your manager" routine. Which, I kind of understand in that context, since it's your kid's health you're talking about and not a f-cking expired coupon, but still.
Made me want to melt through the floor.
You Might Forget How It's Supposed To Go
Male gynecologist here. When I have a patient come in for a pap it is always a bit annoying when they leave their [underwear] on under the gown. I have to step out of the room and wait for them to remove it.
When I went in for my first physical in years I stripped naked under the paper gown. Apparently guys don't do this, they leave their [underwear] on, who knew?
My family doc (who is also my best friend) had a good laugh at my expense over this breach in etiquette.
He also texted me the night before to let me know he was putting the KY in the fridge for my exam.
Sometimes, Just Let Them Be?
Not a doctor, but was a medical assistant in an Ob/Gyn practice for a while. We were near a very large medical center, so would regularly get physician patients. My favorite was this physician couple, who would come in for pregnancy check-ins and refuse to let me take the woman's blood pressure. The husband would bring HIS OWN stethoscope and BP cuff and they would sit down into this weird intimate BP taking ritual that took forever while I just kind of stood off to the side. I told the doc I was working with about it and she's like "it's okay, I know them....they're like that. I will take it again when I see her."
So weird.
It Can Go One Of Two Ways
Speaking from both perspectives as a younger primary care physician:
As a patient: my appointments are 50% what I'm there for and usually very direct. Eg."I have a sinus infection. It is now thick yellow-green discharge with fevers and present >10 days. I think I may now need antibiotics." He will take a quick peek then just give me a script. Then 50% non related conversation regarding how my practice is going learning a thing or two about a new specialist practice or tips and tricks of the trade. My doc is a very chill, well versed and quite an experienced physician who always teaches me a thing or two.
As a physician: I also have multiple physicians as patients. My experience varies by specialty. Family physicians patients seem more chill and relaxed and usually drop by with a cup of coffee. Pediatricians who are patients are really fun to be around but some seem to have underlying anxiety and at times fairly demanding. Internists are just so intimidating as patients, especially when older and more experienced but always teach me a thing or two and force me to stay up to date on my guidelines.
I also find specialists medical knowledge are more versed in their specialty an opthalmologist, as expected, won't know much about gynecology and paps as their last pap they did was in med school.
Calling Your Own Shot
With my mom, it was like this
Mom: I think I have basal cell carcinoma on my back but I can't see it quite clearly.
Derm: You do have basal cell carcinoma, good job!
Just...Don't Think About Their Hands
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Being an ER resident, I always wonder which one of my co-residents is working in the Emergency Department as I drive home from a shift, knowing if something were to happen, they would be checking my rectal tone in front of all my co-workers.
And then I think about how big their hands are...
The dogs owner shared the video along with a post asking professionals to shed some light on why he does what he does.
Owner-obliviousness as they gushed about how adorable it was made the awkward even better.
The owner explained the Frenchie often makes aggressive eye contact and licks his lips while he "plays air guitar"—which is what the family calls it—and how cute & funny they all find the behavior.
GiphyThe video was the dog, casually chilling, using his paw to rub the tip of his penis while staring awkwardly at the camera and licking his lips like a pup possessed.
Three hundred and fifteen laugh-reacts—at the time that I saw it—and only three comments:
1. a vet explaining that the behavior showed in the video was the dog masturbating while making direct eye contact
2. the owner giving a simple "thank you" and
3. the admins of the group closing the comments.
So, why am I sharing this with you?
Because Reddit user Drakmamman asked:
"Dog owners of reddit, what the dog doin?"
... and so now you get this whole article just so I had an excuse to tell y'all about a furiously fapping Frenchie, 'cause somebody else needed to know about him.
I cackled for a good 20 minutes imagining the family getting all giddy about their dog "playing air guitar"—making the little air guitar meedly squeedly noises while he played, maybe even playing along thinking they're enjoying a fun little game—but they're really just been giving a hair metal soundtrack to their dogs stroke sesh.
Something tells me now the owner knows what "air guitar" really is, they're not likely to rush and tell Reddit all about how they've been gathering as a family to watch cause it's just so cute.
That's what I'm here for.
Anyway, here's the stuff other people's dogs are up to. It's not fapping—or if it is, the owners aren't telling Reddit.
Partner Preference
Giphy"Wife just came home with the baby. Dog is acting like she's been abandoned for years running up and down, barking and jumping on everything."
"They'd only been out an hour and I was with her the whole time." - Single_Goose7015
"My dog does this too when my wife comes home. Like what am I, chopped liver?" - jackof47trades
"I feel your pain. My dog started howling mournfully when my partner went back to work last week… I was right there!" - TreatOutside
"Staring at the door waiting for the only human he cares about to come home (obviously not me)" - SnarkyRedhead
Herding Cats
Giphy"Probably trying to herd the cats."
"He's a border collie mix who's afraid of goats and sheep, but even after six years of living with them he still thinks he can control where the cats go."
"He's a good boy, he's very persistent, but not terribly bright sometimes." - TokesNotHigh
"After 8 years our border collie still herds the cats, and the vacuum." - psychologicaluse28
"Big heart, small brain. I have one of those dogs too. They are the sweetest." - Technobucket
Wretched Existence
Giphy"She has flung herself flat across the bed and is playing dead, quiet except for the occasional pitiful whine. Every now and then she lifts her head up and fixes a desperate look upon me, silently begging for release from her wretched existence."
"She's a bit overdramatic about having to wear a cone. The issue is an abrasion on a toe that she won't stop licking, which is making it worse."
"I've been alternating between bandaging it and having her wear a cone. She's been consistently a drama queen." - halfinboxes
One Hour
Giphy"Staring at me because their dinner time is in one hour and they need to start letting me know that, in an hour, they need to eat...in an hour, so I better not forget...cuz they're hungry, which is why they're staring at me...and it's almost dinner time."
"Just one more hour, And they want to make sure I don't forget. Because maybe I will."
"So, they need to remind me. By staring at me. Every day. One hour before dinner." - MotherOfFred
A Little "Light" Exercise
Giphy"Mine loves light reflected off watches or phones. And loves lasers."
"It's sunny and he sees light on the wall so he is bothering me to use my watch or phone so he can chase the light. I've spent the last hour doing it."
"I even got him a cat laser toy that's automatic for him and he runs himself tired as all hell with it. But he is STILL asking for it."
"Used the laser toy also too, so he is panting dripping tongue and still wants to play more..." - boomgoon
Vicious Predators
Giphy"Last night my dogs chased down and killed a rabbit in the backyard. They are usually so gentle; this was weird and unexpected."
"I watched the whole thing helpless because it was so fast. The rabbit screamed, it was insane."
"Now, I'm watching them sleep on my couch and can't help but think they just murdered someone."
"They are just vicious predators, right here, in my house. On my couch."
"But they snuggly as f*ck. This trips me out." - Atheist_Redditor
A Problematic Princess
Giphy"We have two chihuahuas. One is a 15 year old (quite appropriately) named Princess and one is a one year old named Charlie."
"Both have their own dog beds on the couch since they are spoiled."
"When Princess is feeling particularly moody or like asserting her dominance, she will drag Charlie's bed into her bed and lay on top of BOTH of them and snarl at him if he comes close to her personal space bubble/bed mountain."
"And when we tell her she can't have both beds and put his bed back to the side, she just glares at us. Lol." - mslm90
Shoe-nanigans
Giphy"She's currently in her cage resting after her great adventure."
"She managed to get upstairs and grab a hold of one of my shoes. Not just any old shoe, but one of the shoes I am planning to wear this weekend for my wedding."
"After running around, she dropped the shoe to chew on a shirt - at which point she was cornered, and then brought downstairs."
"Pup and shoe are both unharmed and doing well. My nerves, not so much." - still_interesting23
So ... what's YOUR dog been up to lately?
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