How to Tell if Your Family Doctor was a Med-School Slacker

By clarissa, published Apr 22, 2008
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Have you ever heard someone say, "When I grow up, I want to be a family doctor?" You probably haven't. You probably heard people say they wanted to be surgeons, radiologists, dermatologists, or podiatrists. But how many of you really have heard of people dreaming of becoming a family doctor? Well, many family doctors may have just been med-school slackers. That basically means that medical schoolteachers just aren't too willing to give the all-night partiers the OK to go on to the surgery room.

In med school, you've got to get really good grades to be a specialist. And if med school students don't get the best grades, they may just end up being your next family doctor. Of course, that's not always the case. Some people probably actually do have dreams of being a family doctor. But here's how to tell if your family doctor was a med-school slacker.

You doctor doesn't seem to like his or her job.

If your doctor isn't too friendly, he or she probably isn't in love with the idea of being a family doctor. Med schools don't weed out the people who aren't passionate. But a med school will definitely let those with bad grades know where they stand. So, if your doctor seems to lack the joy that comes with being a doctor, you may want to think about how he or she did in med school.

Your doctors always on leave

If your doctor is never in the office because of family emergencies or what have you, that kind of behavior may be a habit from past med school days of skipping class. And sure, there are always legitimate emergencies, but one too many and you need to start asking some questions.

Your doctor makes a lot of jokes and doesn't seem to take your aches, pains, etc seriously.

It's good to lighten the mood, but let's face it, some doctors just don't seem to get it: You are really concerned about whatever's been going on with your body lately. And you don't think it's funny. This isn't med school lunch break. This is your health. So pay attention to a doctor who's always got a joke up his or her sleeve.

 
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How to Tell if Your Family Doctor was a Med-School Slacker

In med school, you've got to get really good grades to be a specialist. And if med school students don't get the best grades, they may just end up being your next family doctor.

Credit: diego cervo | iStockPhoto

Copyright: © diego cervo | iStockPhoto

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Oops... cut off... here's the rest of that last post... Want to take a guess at which specialty DIDN'T fill all it's open spots for this coming year? That's right, the one that you claim "requires really good grades"... surgery. They are taking any med school grad with a pulse in to surgery right now because the demand is so weak in that field (long hours, years of post-grad training, high insurance costs, and other reasons) Meanwhile, primary care training spots are full. Must be a lot of slackers coming out of medical school these days, eh?

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Posted on 05/05/2008 at 9:05:21 AM

 
Oh, and one more thing... since you don't seem to know what the educational pathway is to becoming a specialist, let me fill in the readers here. Most specialists in medicine (GI, cardiology, endocrine, renal, pulmonology, etc.) begin their post-medical school training AS PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS. They go in to a specialty known as Internal Medicine, which is a three year post-med school program. You can either stop there and become an Internist (family doctor), or go on to specialty fellowships. But your ability to get a specialty fellowship has nothing to do with your med school grades, you've been out of school for three years. Family practice docs go straight out of med school in to that specialty, as do surgeons, psychiatrists, pediatricians, and a few others. There are many factors that go in to getting a residency such as board scores, research, letters of recommendation, interviews, luck, and sometimes (but not always) grades. Want to take a guess at which specialty DIDN'T fill all

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Posted on 05/05/2008 at 9:05:12 AM

 
This article is filled with completely FALSE information. Grades have almost nothing to do with getting a fellowship or residency in a specialty that is not in primary care. In fact, many medical schools don't even HAVE grades, they are pass-fail only. You really don't know the first thing about being in medical school, do you? There's no such thing as a "med school slacker"... they work you to death in medical school... And another thing... primary care docs are not inferior in any way to specialists. In fact, primary care can be considered far far MORE demanding than a specialty. You have to stay current on a much wider range of topics. Primary care docs treat problems in just about every area, such as respiratory, cardio, renal, GI, mental health, musculoskeletal, endocrine, etc. etc. It's reasonably obvious that you have no person experience with medical school or what it is to be a primary care doctor. I've done both, and trust me, you're just wrong.

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Posted on 05/05/2008 at 9:05:01 AM

 
Specialist any better? I brought my grandma to the metro to show her to a popular "nervous" specialist. During the exam he escaped into another room many times. The third time it happened my "nosey" grandma got up and tip toed behind his back to see through the glass window where he was going. She found him making quick references from his medical tomes. She quickly came back, put on her dress, ran back to the reception lounge and pushed me out into the parking lot. She didn't want to be treated by a doctor who had to run into another room to refer books each time she said something. Okay they need to refer books. But to run like that while examining the patent doesn't give confidence to the patient.

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Posted on 05/05/2008 at 7:05:00 AM

 
really good article! doctors are highly intelligent, hard working people as they must pass all those courses the rest of us won't get through hard work, or can't do because of lack of brain ability. Hard work and determination to succeed can pull lots of folks through toward the goal of a high paying profession with an almost sure guarentee of respect and credibility. None of the preceeding will guarantee any physician in any speciality will be good at the practice of it any more than it would in any other profession. Character, heart, and expertise make caring professional able to provide excellent services in their career field. Every person can make mistakes. Trustworthy professionals see their mistakes and change them. Then they become really great professionals able to help lots of people!

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Posted on 05/05/2008 at 7:05:00 AM

 
Interesting article. I've had my fair share of family doctors at different clinics, and it seems like they're either really, really bad or totally awesome, no middle ground.

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Posted on 05/04/2008 at 11:05:30 PM

 
My family doctor is a highly skilled, dedicated physician and I'm sure he became a family doctor because he wanted to help people suffering from everyday problems at a grassroots level, rather than being a specialist. I've gone to him for 15 years. He even opened a clinic to provide care to uninsured people. Routine medical care is very important, too. Everyone doesn't want to specialize. Maybe some medical school failures might end up in this area, but it doesn't mean every family doctor had to settle for it. Moreover, the worst doctor I've encountered was an orthopedic surgeon whose carelessness has left me crippled.

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Posted on 05/04/2008 at 10:05:55 PM

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