Callous Comics

A Positive Twist
    We were taught pretty early on that as doctors we need to gain patients' trust to get the best and most relevant information out of them in order to help them appropriately.  It seemed easy enough at first but after a few patients one begins to realize just how difficult it can be sometimes.  No two patients are the same.  I've gone as far as acting like a clown to get a patient to like me (not that it wasn't fun, because it was).
    Of course, every now and then we have to ask the tough questions.  Questions that could activate the denial process within a patient's defensive firewall.  We doctors learn to dance around these queries to soften their impact.  And the techniques in doing so are as personal to each doctor as their preferred brand of stethoscope.  I've even witnessed the "good cop, bad cop" routine, which was fascinating to behold.
    But that's just the nature of people, I suppose.  It's always a tad bit uncomfortable to open up to a new doctor and we understand that.  We're here to help, after all.  What we can't understand is why fellow physicians are the absolute WORST patients (myself included, admittedly).  Oh, the irony...