Patient/Colleague Feedbacks

If my memory would serve me correctly, here is an account of what people- patients and coworkers- had to say about me in my face. I just thought about this last night at work and I thought it would be a great way to actually think about how I impact people. Probably a good preview when I finally get to practice medicine.

It would be very important to note that, since the comments were very diverse in flavor, I was very ambivalent towards my recollections. This is as accurate as it gets...



"You have a very commanding presence" (Some old guy I was transporting)

"Thank you, doctor" (skater boy with broken arm I just finished splinting)

"Oh." (after I told him that I wasn't a doctor)

"Are you an intern?" (person who didn't realize that our hospital doesn't have residents and interns. She must have been to UC Irvine Medical Center a lot)

"I like your smile" (An old lady with Alzheimer's)

"I admire you, young man. You have aptitude for the sciences" (this UCLA alumni that I was talking to while dressing up his wound. Blood was spurting from the sliced radial artery. I had to change my scrubs after.)

"You needed new scrubs? Why? Did you shart on your scrub pants?" (Linen lady in-charge of the scrubs)

"You're gonna make a great doctor" (old lady with dementia)

"You wanna go to medical school? DON'T DO IT" (ER doctor last night)

"I don't mean to discourage you, but medicine is hard here in the US. You should be a nurse" (my family doctor, Dr. Panganiban)

"You ask too many questions, you smartass" (Dr. Sviland)

"You're a weekender at work, huh. Just like cialis!" (Dr. Zarate)

"You crack me up!" (Dr. Wetzel)

"You crack me up!" (Sarah Nugent, RN)

"This is his first day" (Dr. Ho, when I fumbled and made a mess out of the laceration tray.)

"You're a bio major? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" (Sandra, RN)

"Get to work!" (ER tech)

"You are funny" (EMT student who was following me around and annoying me)

"You're such a fag" (Jack, RN)

"Hey shortbus!" (Secretary)

"You're a big dork" (another nurse)

"GODDAMN YOU! GODDAMN YOU!" (Old man at work. I didn't give him what he wanted- coffee)

"FUCK YOU" (Drunk guy/Heroin addict I was helping out)

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW! Can't you be more careful?" (Some stupid pussy who was riding a motorbike without a shirt on. Road rash. I had to scrub his CHEST and arms with clorhexidine gluconate and betadine. Understandable.)

"YOU, are an ASS" (She wanted me to work her shift. I didn't return her phone call)

"Are you mexican?" (some white dude)

"Tonto!" (old man who thought I didn't understand spanish)

"Hijo de puta" (same deal, different guy)

"You look too young to be doing this" (some asshole who doubted my competence)

"Don't uncover them, my legs are hairy!"(25-year-old girl who thought she was hot. My response- "I've seen worse")

"HURRY UP, WHAT ARE YOU DOING???" (idiot guy who's saying this and holding my arm restrictively at the same time when I was trying to bring her hypoglycemic mom inside the ER)



Great looking back. Patient care is cool. I could get used to this. Albeit the majority of unpleasant feedbacks.