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Everyone's a doc!


"Doctor, I have excruciating pain in my right ear."
"Please sit down, let me examine."
"I think my ear drum is infected. Give me some pain killers and antibiotics."
"........."
"I have acute sinusitis. I had an ice cream late last night. Couldn't avoid. Was my family friend's birthday party."
"......!!"
"I had paracetamol and analgesics but didn't have much relief." 
The doctor quietly writes out a prescription and smiles. 
"Take these pills for two weeks. If the pain persists or worsens after three days, meet me."
                                                           
                                                             * * * * *
Patients are more informed in this fast-moving, information-driven world and doctors have minimal talking to do these days. Anyone and everyone is able to access the internet, thanks to those hi-fi gadgets and wi-fi connections. The learned and well-educated, who boast about high-collared jobs are the ones that are generally MISinformed. As "know-it-all"s, they go to a physician only to get a prescription.

 OTCs have become the norm, and some people ask for medicines by the drug name. Even a small change in the dosage or the intensity of the drug can have adverse consequences. 

 If everyone can do the surfing, talking and self-medication, what are doctors for? Why should they go through the five-and-a-half year toil and dedication to earn an MBBS and specialise for another three to five years at the least, and sacrifice the prime time of their lives?  

 Queen of Questions

Comments

  1. avseq10 November 2014 at 07:25

    i now remember a lesson i learnt when i was studying 10th standard...a kid having a temperature of 99.8 farenheit getting it confused with celcius and thinks that he will die of very high temperature .,then after realising the fact becoming alright........half knowledge is more dangerous.if only everyone applies this moral in their lives (not only in medicine but in every job ) they cant be peaceful .........

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jisha Ashok10 November 2014 at 21:11

    You are absolutely right Queen of Questions. I am such a regular client of those doctors, thanks to my doctor friend, who has fed me enough to talk boldly to the doctors about the medicines I gave my kids before even consulting them. I was assuming they were quite happy to have sensible clients like me, but now I understand I am such a pain to them!

    Thanks for this, Queen of Questions, I'll just be quiet, ofcourse, I'll try in today's appointment with my paed.

    ReplyDelete

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