Sure-fire way for a patient to get off on the wrong foot with me:

[Aristus]

"Good morning! I'm a Physician Assistant. What seems to be the problem?"

"A Physician Assistant? So you went to a community college somewhere for three months, and now you think you're a doctor?"

Whew!

This guy must be the life of whatever party he walks in to...

I kept my cool and told him that the University of Washington School of Medicine isn't exactly a community college, and that the PA program is basically four years of medical school and an intership crammed into two years.

Still, I was tempted to test his aerodynamic properties by drop-kicking him out of the clinic.

I didn't.

First, Do No Harm.

[yallerdawg]

1. You should keep a handy rubber glove...

put it on dramatically, and say, "Shall we get started?"

[Aristus]

3. HA!

YES!

[Mr.Bill]

13. Tell him you're going to use two fingers

so he can get a second opinion.

[sarge43]

14. HA!

Two fingers, the community college way.

[CTyankee]

2. Well, you know what they say...

you can't cure The Stupid.

[unblock]

4. impressively stupid assholery.

one could sort of excuse gross ignorance about the training required for a p.a., but it requires no special knowledge to know that "now you think you're a doctor" is patently false.

i mean, you just introduced yourself as a p.a., not a doctor. if you thought you were a doctor, why would you introduce yourself as something else?


oddly enough, i remember my 10 hours of emergency room rounds when i was training to become an emt. i wore a white coat and carried a stethoscope and everyone automatically called me "doctor". so apparently even 3 months of community college is overkill.

[csziggy]

5. No, kidding!

With my recent extensive hospital experience, I have to say the PAs who worked with my doctors and me were fantastic!

In October while I was in for my aortic valve replacement, Andrew the PA for the cardiothoracic surgeon was my main contact. Andrew talked with me during the pre-opt time, making sure I understood the next steps. He was there when I was recovering from the conscious sedation and made sure I got treatment for the nausea I had. Andrew checked with me once I got settled in the hospital room and his was the first face I saw when I woke up from the Code Blue. When I was tending to list to the left, he allayed my fears about stroke by doing a quick exam.

During the latest hospital stay, Andrew stopped by to check on me and to make sure everything with my new aortic valve was going fine. And when the PA for the current surgeon stopped with questions about my valve and the TAVR procedure, she lit up when I told Andrew was handling my case since she knew she could get through to him and get the answers she needed.

I have never met a PA who "thought they were a doctor" - every one has been a dedicated medical professional who does the best work they can for their patients.

That goes for the Nurse Practitioners who I have also had the pleasure to know and receive help from.

[Aristus]

9. The ARNP's I work with are all fantastic.

I respect them very much.

[Hoyt]

6. I prefer a PA or Nurse Practitioner to doctors every time. If there is something

going on that needs an MD/DO, the PA will at least listen and get one. They almost universally have a better personality too.

[niyad]

7. that damned oath gets in the way of administering needed personality adjustments!

[eppur_se_muova]

8. Hope he treats his lawyer the same way. nt

[demmiblue]

10. I disagree with this:

"the PA program is basically four years of medical school and an intership crammed into two years." It really, really isn't.

PAs are highly skilled, but it is not the same.

Some (probably a lot) people are not familiar with what a PA is. There no need to feel such animosity toward a client because they are ignorant about your profession.

Let it slide off your back. Or do an Obama:

[Aristus]

11. I have a few patients who are ignorant about the profession.

He was being rude and dismissive.

[steve2470]

15. I'm really sorry to hear he was so rude and ignorant

No need for that, at all. I'm sure you provide excellent medical care. I have seen PA's who gave me good care.

At the other end of the spectrum of insults, let me tell a quick anecdote. I used to work in an HMO setting where the doctors, PA's and NP's all worked for a doctor's group, which in turn had an exclusive contract with the insurance company. It was the true belly of the managed care beast. At any rate, I had a very small private office in the same building as the doctors. Nothing special, just a very small office. The clients would come see me in my office by appointment. I never told or implied to them I was a doctor or PA or NP in any way whatsoever, but many just assumed I was simply because I worked in the same building. I had to frequently correct people with my credentials as soon as they called me Doctor LastName. It was weirdly gratifying but yea, there was no way I was going to allow them to think I was a doctor, when I had not done all the school, training, boards, etc etc etc. I seriously considered going to medical school but by then I was married, had a child and it would have been a huge effort. Not worth it to me, once I really considered it.

Keep up the good work.

[MindPilot]

16. My motto: Never piss off the guy who is about to work on your brakes

Back when I was writing service at the car dealer...

Me (holding clipboard and pen): "Hi! welcome to Fuzz Nutz Ford. What can I help you with?"

Customer: (pointing his finger an inch or so from my face) "I know you're all a bunch of fucking thieves....that shit isn't going to work with me!"


Nice to set those expectations right up front.

[Aristus]

17. Wow. What a charmer...

I'm sorry you were treated like that...

[Aristus]

19. Fair enough.

I offer my name, and then state that I'm a Physician Assistant. I wear a white lab coat, and wear my stethoscope draped around my neck. The first thought usually anyone has at that image is 'doctor'. I make the legal disclosure of my licensing status right out of the gate so there's never a misunderstanding.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. The PAs at the clinic I go to wear white lab coats and stethoscopes.

They also introduce themselves as PAs or NPs.

Just sayin'

[Aristus]

23. I'm not sure where this is going.

Are you skeptical that I'm a Physician Assistant?

It's kind of like the way Sean Connery said in The Untouchables about Treasury officers: "Who would claim to be that who was not?"