PookieMD's Blog: Where Physicians Learn About the Business of Medicine

I’m reading a cute book–the Happiness Project.  The author has a really fun part–her “12 commandants of adult living”  (or something like that.)  I got to thinking about my 10 commandments of physicianhood–in other words, rules to doctor by.

1. Patients die.
2. Doctors can’t save everyone–refer to rule number 1.  (Surprisingly a rule that I have struggled with as it seems as if this should be something I can do–what else did I train for?)
3. Ask questions, even if you think you will look stupid.  Don’t be afraid that others know more than you–they do, but you know more on other subjects!
4. Read as much as you can.  I have been trying to outline articles on index cards and filing them. No, I don’t think I will ever refer to them, but the act of writing stuff down helps me learn.
5. Have good friends that will watch your back.  We all need someone to bounce stuff off of, and to complain to, who will tell us that we are good doctors even when the chips are down.
6. Stay calm outwardly if possible.
7. Use this ridiculous stuff we experience to write a memoir.  (Someday I will tell you about the white supremacist, the acupuncture incident and the paralyzed guy who walked to his appointments.
8. Resign yourself to spending some long days, no matter how hard you try.
9. Experience is a good teacher.
10. No one but other doctors appreciate sick doctor humor, especially at the dinner table.

Full disclosure: rules 1 and 2 came from M*A*S*H–my most favorite TV show of all time!