Thursday, May 8, 2008

Haven't Earned It

A recent conversation that Wife told me about went something like this:

Wouldn't know their ass from a hole in the ground guy: "You know you're husband isn't a doctor yet. Just because he's graduating doesn't mean he's a doctor."

Wife: "Umm, yeah he will be. He's getting an MD in a couple weeks. He'll be called doctor by everyone including patients, nurses, doctors, etc. He will be a doctor."

WKTAFAHITGG: "Well, he'll be called that, but he's not a real doctor. He hasn't put in his time yet. And I don't think they should be allowed to call themselves doctors either - it's like lying to patients."

Wife: "What the hell do you think 4 years of medical school is if not putting in your time? Just because he has to do a residency doesn't mean he can't be called doctor."

WKTAFAHITGG: "I bet he's going to get a real fancy-pants car, isn't he?"

Wife: "No, he doesn't like cars that much and would prefer to drive his for as long as it will allow. Then he might get a truck or something."

WKTAFAHITGG: "Yeah, so he can dump your body after he's found a few nurses to cheat on you with."

This was an actual conversation that Wife told me about while dealing with a vendor at her job. I have no idea why the guy is saying these kinds of things, but I warned her that if I ever run into him we're having it out. He's an ass, has been for too long, and this last bitty broke the camel's back.

It's like he thinks we're fighting over the same woman - who is MARRIED TO ME - and he feels that downplaying any accomplishment we've had will earn him points.

The other fact that just chafes is that he felt I hadn't "earned " the right to be called doctor. Then what the fuck is medical school for? What is the purpose of any post-graduate education that bestows a doctoral degree on someone if they haven't "earned it"? Just because he clearly feels inferior doesn't mean that 8 years of higher education doesn't count for something.

I'm serious - I'm going to have it out with him should I ever see him. Enough's enough already.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude, is your wife...my fiancee?? She has the exact same conversation all the time...with vendors and store employees.

What is it with people that feel compelled to warn spouses of medical professionals that they're all cheating bastards?

Anonymous said...

1. apparently this jerk has been watching too much TV. re: doctors all cheat on their wives.

2. I bet he wouldn't mind calling you doctor or have any trouble receiving medical services from you if he needed you for something.

OMDG said...

"dump your body" ???

What does he think you are? A serial killer? Seriously, what kind of tools does your wife work with?

Anonymous said...

Rusty ones.

Anonymous said...

Kick is a** dude...better yet, threaten him with a stick of propofol. The dude will cry like a baby with the threat of milk going into his veins...who's the pu**y now? lol

Doc's Girl said...

What an ass. Unfortunately, there are many people out there like that. I have been told too often to make sure I get a big ring on my finger and a marriage license soon "before he finds some young, skinny nurse to have his babies." (You can't make this stuff up.) Blah.

I don't even bother trying to explain it to people who think that the bf isn't a "real doctor" and that he is still a student.

I'm real tired of the comments justifying the psychotic hours of his residency, too, with this line: "Well, for what he is going to be making in the end..."

These days, it's in through one ear and out the other since the list of wacky comments keeps growing and growing.....! :)

Bostonian in NY said...

I'd put the guy on his ass for disrespecting my wife, first of all. Secondly, I'd do it just to witness the medical attention he'd get from some of your EM resident classmates working in the ED after they heard the story of why he needs 6 stitches to close the lac from getting punched in the mouth.

Wait 'til the MD hunters start coming after you...you know, the 21 year old brand new nurses who think that you're just the perfect target for marriage because you're pulling in an income big enough for them to satiate their wildest shoe fetishes...they exist...my mom wants to bring me into work after I graduate to meet them.

pinkie said...

First of all, I'm horrified... I'll help you kick this guy's ass!

Secondly, why doesn't anybody warn me about hot nurses fighting over my newly-MD'ed self? Oh yah, I'm a woman... and nurses are generally women... and I don't swing like that... If anything, I was warned that I'll be *hated* by the nurses. Damn double standard.

Anonymous said...

omg, i cannot believe this conversation actually took place. How can you NOT be a doctor after 8 years of college/post grad, not to mention countless hours of rotations/clerkships etc???
So, if you get a job as a laywer, pass the bar, etc. but you're still just starting off and are really just doing scut for the higher ups... are you not a real lawyer?? Apply that logic to ANY profession out there... What an idiot.

broca's area said...

he is just jealous ans a typical sadist!!:)..[well handled by ur wife]

Dragonfly said...

That guys sounds like he has a massive inferiority complex. Like a number of my relatives who didn't finish high school, but love to regale me with tales of drunken/drug addicted doctors or remind me that doctors have higher suicide rates than psychiatric inpatients, etc. I don't slag off manual workers to them....

Anonymous said...

I am an Australian doctor and never been subjected to or have heard such a bizarre rant.