Okay. So at this very moment, I am sitting in this (crowded) restaurant in the Emory village doing a bit of work. Why am I working here? Eh. Don't worry about that. Anyways. . . .
Check it--how about just now, the door opened and these five male physicians walked in wearing their lab coats and scrubs. I am assuming they are physicians, although not one of them has a stethoscope. But either way the question is: What is up with the lab coats and feeling the need to bring them and yes, continue wearing them on a five zillion degree day in this restaurant??
For real, y'all. It is seriously one hundred trillion degrees here today. I take that back. It is one hundred kazillion degrees AND it's a freakin' "ozone-alert day." (So the "I was cold" consideration for wearing their coats was out the window.)
This brings me to what I have chosen, at this moment, to vent about:
PDA (public doctor attire.)
Dude. Can I please just. . . ugggh! There is not a lamer thing than random public doctor attire. It is the lamest. No, even lamer than that. It's the lame-ultimate.
When my first group of students reached their hospital rotations, I threatened them with bodily harm if I ever caught them strolling through Target in scrubs. Or worse, in a bar or restaurant. Not that I have ever been to a bar since joining the faculty--ah hem--but you get my point.
Which reminds me: Students that I advise and know currently--you had better not let me hear about you being a PDA-er. Same for you recent graduates. Not that it's terribly unprofessional. More just because it's really, really, really lame. Lame like that guy on Scrubs who had the "DOC" tattoo. Lame like this hat I had as an undergrad that said "M.D 2B." Blecchh.
o_0
Oh shoot. I think they saw me giving them the hairy eyeball. Now one of them looks paranoid that I might be writing about them. Which really wouldn't be paranoia because I am writing about them.
Hmmm.
I was just thinking: This could be just my own personal pet peeve and not an issue at all.
Naaaah.
Gasp! One is wearing the surgical hat. You know. The one that ties in the back? Lawd.
0_0
Am thinking of passing a note on my way out that says,
"Excuse me. Are you doctors? Or do you just play them on TV?" or better yet,
"WHY THE HELL Y'ALL GOT ON THEM HOT A-- LAB COATS AND THOSE NASTY-BLOOD-AND-GERM-INFESTED SCRUBS IN THIS RESTAURANT?!?"
(Because that's what I would really be thinking.)
Eeew. One has the chest hair explosion thing going on from his scrub top. I cannot. Take it. Sorry. Just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
Hmmm. Maybe there is a good explanation for this. Maybe they are all surgeons who JUST got out of a seventy-five hour surgery only to emerge so hypoglycemic that they have temperature instability and cloudy mentation. Hmmm. I'd welcome your suggestions.
Anyways. That's all I got right now. Guess I'll pack up my laptop and go before I say or do something blogworthy. Okay, bye.
***
Happy Tuesday.
Also not a fan of this PDA phenomenon. It's poor practice, not to mention the equivalent of a nauseating post grad letter jacket. Blech. Seriously, even if you are coming straight from work, how hard is it to keep a change of clothes in your car, bag, team room, or locker, or to simply drop your white coat in said car, bag, team room, or locker? Well, not too hard, as even I can manage it. Gulp, smile. I'm right there with ya, gradydoc.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't snag us a pic!? Super disappointed ;) Do you remember the news story recently about some medical professionals wearing their work attire to lunch and then back into work where they needed to be sanitary? Or was that a hoax :P
ReplyDeleteWhen I see this going down around the medical center, I always take it as a clear sign of insecurity. It makes me want to offer the offender a flashing sign that says, "I'M A DOCTOR!!!" so that he or she will be able to leave the dirty scrubs/lab coat in the locker.
ReplyDeleteI can't say as I have ever thought twice about it when I see someone in the grocery store or a restaurant in scrubs. Those germs aren't likely to end up on my plate. But I do cringe when I see someone walking around on Saturday with a big brown shield on their back or a tee shirt that claims "We heart logistics". Makes we want to walk up to them and say "Scuse me, don't you get enough of that Monday through Friday?" Must be an industry thing.
ReplyDeleteAmen!!!
ReplyDeleteThis phenomenon irks me as well, and I agree with the anon poster, I do believe it is a sign of insecurity.
These are individuals whose self-worth, self-image, self-esteem are so tightly bound to their professional achievement that they need to constantly "wear" the proof of their status as physicians. Frankly, I pity them, in part because I know what it's like to have insecurities, but mostly because they do not yet have the strength or understanding to overcome those insecurities.
The younger me has felt insecure about a variety of things - not being in medical school when most of my pre-med friends were already getting out of residency, not having a big enough diamond on my left 4th finger, not having an expensive enough house or car, not wearing a designer dress to a very fancy party, etc. Thankfully, wisdom and enlightenment arrived before I could grow too old and too entrenched in my ways. There is incredible freedom and happiness in releasing one's insecurities. It is not always easy, and as I let go of old insecurities, new ones sometimes try to creep up, so it is a constant exercise in mindfulness, self-awareness and self-reflection.
I hope those gentlemen can find that kind of freedom and happiness before they grow too old.
I agree. I also cannot stand when Dr.Oz or The Doctors wear scrubs on TV. Seriously dude, we know you won't be asked to do surgery there in the studio and I know you have other clothes!
ReplyDeleteI literally laughed out loud picturing you giving them the hairy eyeball! PS I have been fantasizing about a minivan since your post a few weeks ago - have you seen the new chrysler town and country? I am such a lame mommy now... Still don't know if i will ever break down and by one, though. Haha
ReplyDeleteMiss you!
Too funny!! I'm cracking up at 'temperature instability' and 'cloudy mentation.' I love the doctor speak. I'm going to be just as obnoxious as the docs in the restaurant and start substituting 'palpate' for 'touch' in all of my conversations, ha!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe they just don't know what to wear and need to be nominated for What Not to Wear. Stacey and Clinton would knock some sense into them. :)
ReplyDeleteI just came back to read the newest comments and realized that I had written an essay... sorry! I blame it on the craziness of final exams (and the fact that I had been reviewing psych for 2 days, and the fact that I am generally neurotic right now under the shadow of the monster that is Step 1, and looking for excuses to procrastinate).
ReplyDeletelove it- you preached it- so nasty and so lame!!!
ReplyDelete