There is a wonderful scene from the classic, hospital-based sitcom Scrubs where the main character JD (a doctor) is daydreaming whilst examining a patient – he proceeds to listen to the patient’s chest with his stethoscope- the only problem is that the earpieces are not in his ears but on his neck…
The patient then asks: “I’m sorry, doctor, shouldn’t you have those things in your ears?”
JD replies angrily: “I’m sorry, did you go to medical school ?!”
Patient: “Well…You know… I thought…”
JD: “I didn’t think so!” – (sneakily and sheepishly puts earpieces back in his ears)
I often think as GPs we can be like JD in this scene when it comes to new medical technology– not willing to listen to our patients and become ridiculously stubborn when facing the harsh truth – that our patient might know something that we don’t or more specifically, know something that may help us as doctors manage their health more effectively.
