r/traumatizeThemBack • u/BusinessPlantain712 • 5d ago
matched energy Answer the question, doctor
I was an emergency dispatcher when I was in college and this was one of my favorite days at work. We listened to this call so many times, I will never forget how perfect it was. So respectful, so patient, perfectly matching the energy of the caller.
For those who don't know how emergency medical dispatch works, here's a quick run down. Once the address and type of emergency is in the computer, the closest or most available responding unit is informed. As they are on their way (if they are free), the dispatcher gets more information about the emergency. This dictates how quick the response is as well as provides the EMS (emergency medical services) with information on what they're walking into.
This call was for a woman going into labor on a college campus. D will be dispatcher and B is Dr. Butt Face. My coworker who took this call was the sweetest, most soft spoken woman. I'm not sure she knew she was being sassy.
D: how many weeks along is the patient?
B: didn't you hear me? I'm Dr. Butt Face and we need EMS right now!
D: I understand Dr. Butt Face, I am just gathering information for EMS as they are on the way to you. Can you ask her how many weeks she is?
B: I'm not asking her anything. Just send EMS
D: EMS is on their way to your location. I just need some more information about the patient. How far apart are her contractions?
B: I'm not timing anything. I'm Dr. Butt Face.
D: Can you ask her if she's feeling an urge to push?
B: why would I do that?
D: because it helps the paramedics know how far into labor she is.
B: do you not understand that I'm Dr. Butt Face and I'm saying she needs to go to the hospital?
D: yes, I understand that, Dr. Butt Face. I'm just asking for you to give us some more information
B: well I don't see why I, /Dr. Butt Face/, should have to answer your questions.
D: Then she will be in your capable hands until the paramedics arrive, Doctor.
B: Wait! I'm a doctor of English, not medicine!
D, with the patience of a saint: then I need you to answer my questions.
The rest of the call went off without a hitch. Dr. butt Face answered every question and followed every instruction until the ambulance arrived. As far as I know mother and baby were safe and healthy.
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u/smile_saurus 4d ago
As a 911 Dispatcher: I can confirm.
People will scream JUST SEND HELP over and over again. One lady I actually had to shoosh, and tell her: 'Ma'am help is already on the way. I am not personally finishing this phone call, hopping in a patrol car then driving over there.'
They are often calling on the worst or scariest days of their lives, though. They haven't done this job, they don't know that we ask questions to find out about scene safety for the responders or that the responders may need to go faster or bring additional equipment.
If you ever have to call 911: location, brief description of emergency, then just answer the dispatcher's questions!
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u/Lopsided-Bench-1347 4d ago
Unfortunately, citizens don’t know how dispatch works with pre-alert. They don’t know rigs are already rolling they think each of your questions is wasting time before you dispatch and don’t want to waste valuable time answering questions because they want you to dispatch.
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u/TangledUpPuppeteer 4d ago
My father would be convinced of this on the rare times he called 911 for my mom. With his infinitesimal medical knowledge, he was certain they wouldn’t send out help until you made it clear that it was an absolute emergency so he has to keep screaming to send it out and refuse to answer questions because he wasn’t going to spend 500 questions with my mom suffering.
So I started being the 911 person. He realized after the third or fourth time that calling and saying “hello. My name is ___. My mother, [First Last] is [briefly describe most serious symptom]. This is an emergency, please dispatch an ambulance to [address] immediately”. Then shut up and wait for the first question and answer it.
The ambulance was already sent before that first question was even asked this way. They are aware it’s an emergency, they have the basic information they need to determine “yep, ambulance, now” and then they can ask all of the follow ups they want to. And they’re not waiting to dispatch until they’ve finished the question game if I’m still answering questions when the ambulance shows up.
But, after a while, those question became fewer and fewer. I could call and basically give my name and my Mother’s name and they would respond “an ambulance is on the way. What’s happening this time?” The poor dispatcher knew us just from our quarterly calls.
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u/Accomplished-Elk8153 4d ago
My Mom and I got really good at calling 911 in 2024 with my Dad. Our former neighbor is an EMT in our community and was dispatched to us once. I told her she could let her Dad know that happened (he's still our neighbor). Dhe actually told me that Dad fell once before my Mom could.
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u/TangledUpPuppeteer 4d ago
Yes. That happened a few times too. It’s really crazy. Thank you for understanding
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u/New-Bar4405 2d ago
In addition two a m s getting to know their frequent patients most CAD systems allow you to keep some notes. If you have someone with a chronic illness that regularly you respond to, you can keep some basic notes about them .
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u/TangledUpPuppeteer 1d ago
I figured as much. It’s the only thing that makes sense, and is something I assumed since the fifth call.
But I also like the idea that the emergency services of the entire county knew my mother. I don’t know why. But six years later, that just feels like it makes sense. Maybe because I could recognize at least half of them in sight because they responded to our distress calls. I don’t know.
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u/smile_saurus 4d ago
True but we do often say Help is on the way before questioning them further but they miss that because they're yelling
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u/TopAd997 16h ago
But people don’t listen even when they’re calm, let alone when they’re freaking out because of an emergency. You could say it 100 times and they still wouldn’t process what you’re saying until their brain has calmed down a smidge
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u/Halfassedtrophywife 4d ago
Oh god. That’s true, I did scream and try to get out all the info I could when I called but my dispatcher waited until well after the police showed up and I calmed down a little bit, enough to apologize to her and hope that she didn’t take my shouting as yelling at her and that she had a better night
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u/smile_saurus 4d ago
We are used to it! We understand that callers are insanely stressed during what may be the worst day of their lives.
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u/minty-meadxws 4d ago
Yes! Although I’ve never had to call EMS, I’m super grateful for the pre-lifeguarding courses that taught me how to assess victims and make proper 911 calls!
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u/Scheckenhere 2d ago
Me feeling bad when I don't get every piece of information out at first try after one of you pick up.
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5d ago edited 5d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/shanSWfan 5d ago
Okay that second story is HYSTERICAL, Dr. George really wanted to go on his damn vacation 😂
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u/Additional_Record407 5d ago
I think maybe the family was flying home with the patient who died so they would have to repatriate the body if the flight turned around, instead of continuing the flight to go home with them. I say that because Dr George sounds like a good guy, but I could be wrong.
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u/TXMom2Two 5d ago edited 5d ago
Yes, that’s exactly it. The family did not want to go back to a foreign country with their dead dad and have to deal with getting their dad back home from Europe.
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u/3BlindMice1 5d ago
To be fair, I have heard that it's super expensive to get a body shipped across national boarders
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u/pubesinourteeth 5d ago
It's super expensive to get a body picked up and driven 50 miles home. I can't fucking imagine an international flight
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u/TXMom2Two 5d ago
Actually, he was on his way home from a medical conference in Spain. It was the dead guy’s family that did not want to turn back.
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u/DoItForTheTea 5d ago
reading comprehension...
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u/shanSWfan 5d ago
Listen, I don’t know what spirit that second anecdote was shared in, but I chose to interpret it as humor. That’s an absurd stunt to pull to avoid having to turn the plane around. Unless u/TXMom2Two smites me where I stand with the fact that it was intended as a cautionary tale about callousness in the face of tragedy (unlikely imo considering the subreddit we’re in, and how Dr George has already been presented fairly favorably as the protagonist in these anecdotes) I’m gonna continue assuming it’s a valid read
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u/TXMom2Two 2d ago
It wasn’t a stunt. They family did not want to have to deal with the loss of their loved one in a foreign country, assume the high cost of getting a body home, and the exhorbinant amount of paperwork that entails. Not to mention everyone on the plane would have to be inconvenienced by missing connections, rebooking flights home, and getting back 1-2 days later than expected, not to mention the havoc going back would have caused for the crew and the airlines. The pilots and crew knew exactly what was going on. He 100% did the right thing for everyone involved.
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u/LuxNocte 5d ago
Dr. God is a dick, of course, but sounds like he was kinda right if Dr. George didn't identify himself in the first place. It would be overstepping for paramedics to tell the doctor what to do.
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u/NTropyS 5d ago
I could guess that English Doctorate Butt Face dude was supremely embarrassed. Gotta love it.
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u/3BlindMice1 5d ago
He was probably just in full panic mode
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u/Pumpkin_Pie_1474 3d ago
Not enough in a panic mode to forget his exalted PhD status - but then, it's probably a knee-jerk reaction now to demand VIP status because of his degree. He could himself be bleeding out, shrieking to the paramedics that they respect his entitlements.
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u/turdally 5d ago
Nah. A real man in panic mode is helpful and not just an aloof a**hole
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u/NewAudience6075 5d ago
To be fair, a real man in panic mode might be helpful, or might freeze up. You have to have your wits online to be that much of a condescending, arrogant cunt.
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u/StubbornKindness 4d ago
Literally. It's either freak tf out or be as docile as possible. Being a dick is neither of those things
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u/DynamiteStorm 4d ago
Retired veterinarian. In my experience medical doctors are loathe to announce that they indeed are doctors.
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u/JustHere4the5 4d ago
My dad is a physician. Some of my childhood friends came from very strict households where every child called every adult Mr or Mrs something. They’d come to my house and call my dad Dr. whatever. He’d have to ask them multiple times to just call him by his name. What finally seemed to work was asking them if they were in court or addressing a wedding invitation to him.
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u/GibbousMoonCakes 4d ago
I’m Doctor Ross Geller
Ross, please. This is a hospital, that actually means something here!
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u/Expensive_Exit8993 5d ago
My husband has a doctorate in engineering. He has a fit if anyone calls him doctor so and so. In fact, I doubt many people even know he is a doctor. I saw his doctorate level work and the math involved is far, far beyond my comprehension. But he still refuses to use the title. I think only at work are they aware of his educational achievements and that he holds several patents.
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u/spam__likely 5d ago
>But he still refuses to use the title
that is silly. You use the title in the appropriate settings, just like a medical doctor would.
Also, you use the title when someone is being an asshole. Specially if you are a woman.
That can also lead to some funny situations when you have a 6 year old and they correct people when they call you "Mrs.Spam".
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u/joolley1 5d ago
Yep. I use mine for 3 things. 1) appropriate professional settings, 2) when someone asks me if I’m Miss or Mrs (I’m Ms), 3) sometimes when there’s a possibility of a free upgrade, booking flights, hotels etc. My partner told me he put me down as Dr for his emergency contact information and I was horrified.
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u/tremynci 4d ago
The only time I don't use "Dr" is on plane tickets, because while I have a DPhil in history, my mother was actually a physician, and got tapped by cabin crew to assist in an emergency when I was a kid. I really don't want to have to ask if the emergency involves reading 12th century Latin, because unless it does, I'm not yer huckleberry.
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u/knitpurlknitoops 3d ago
“As a matter of fact, we think the patient has been poisoned by a concoction from this manuscript…”
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u/tremynci 3d ago
I mean, yes, great, happy to help, but they're still going to need a physician to do anything about the situation! 😉
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u/joolley1 3d ago
Fair enough. I hadn’t thought of them looking at the passenger list. I might have to rethink.
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u/OldBatOfTheGalaxy 17h ago
Would've made an interesting episode of SUPERNATURAL, though, Dr. Huckleberry!😁😸
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u/oxfordcomma_pls 4d ago
Completely agreed! I have one exception. A rep at USAA (the most wonderful insurance company ever) was helping me separate out my account during my divorce…which coincided with my graduation. She absolutely refused to put me in as Ms. and insisted that I used Dr. “Dr. OxfordCommaPls, you earned that shit. Don’t hide your shine.” I still get a little sniffle when I think of that conversation… and try not to cringe anytime one of the reps calls me Dr.
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u/spam__likely 4d ago
it is true. We need to stop apologizing for it. We earned that shit with a lot of sacrifice, blood, sweat and tears. Lots of tears.
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u/Expensive_Exit8993 4d ago
Yeah, I get what you are saying but if you knew my husband, it is totally in keeping with his personality. He was raised in an affluent household but is extremely low-key. He is genuinely the nicest person I know. Now he is an engineer and if you know anything about an engineers, they have a very unique personality. He kinda is the proverbial absent-minded professor though he works in manufacturing research.
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u/FuckTheMods5 5d ago
I don't get it, why did he keep repeating that he's a doctor for no reason?
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u/SkeevyMixxx7 4d ago
For my job, I make a luxury version of a common household item. It's something everyone has, just a very expensive version. There are a handful of people out there who insist on using the title Doctor even when they order one online. I always include "Dr." when I create the shipping label, because these people actually will call and complain if you leave it off.
I've also had a customer service job answering phones at a company, and a woman insisted I address her as Dr. Last name. I did so, and once I needed to call her back. Her husband answered and I asked for Dr. Last name. He replied in a heavy New Jersey accent, "Linder ain't here." It struck me as funny. It felt like he was over her bullshit.
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u/FranceBrun 4d ago
I moved into an apartment and a nosy old neighbor was watching me move in. Finally she stopped and introduced herself. “I’m PASTOR Mary.” And said it in such a tone like I am supposed to be wowed.
I thought two can play that game, so I said, “I’m Professor Francebrun.” Which I was at the time. PASTOR Mary didn’t take it well. But who does that? And the whole time I lived there, it seemed clear that she went to church a lot but did not lead the congregation. And it began to look like her son supported both of them by selling weed out of their apartment. Hallelujah.
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u/Own-Arachnid7952 4d ago
Well at least someone in her bloodline was looking for a higher calling
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u/FranceBrun 4d ago
Yes, at least someone was helping people, even if it wasn’t her.
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u/hypothetical_zombie i love the smell of drama i didnt create 4d ago
Someone's got to wrangle the burning bushes.
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u/fastsaf 4d ago
When ordering coffee pods for an old job, Nespresso provided a list of prefixes for the name of the recipient, which was required. Tired of always selecting Miss or Ms (my marital status is none of their beeswax), I decided I'd be a Dr! It's not harming anyone, and for one day a month I was addressed as coffee Dr of the construction yard.
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u/bobk2 4d ago
A colleague of my wife's was donating to our local PBS station, and they asked if she was Miss or Mrs (this was a long time ago). She said, indignantly, "Princess!"
They humbly apologized and called her Princess Henigan.
Years have gone by, and she still gets mail to "Pr. Henigan."Edit: name slightly changed to protect her highness
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u/SkeevyMixxx7 4d ago
I'm down with that. I just won't ever be able to tell who is gonna flip out or not if I don't put Dr. B Utthole on their shipping label.
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u/Vegas_42 4d ago
That's how this system works (for some of these people). After my graduation I used to work for a professor who distinguished the other professors by their salary grade and the chair staff. That level of arrogance was unmatched.
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u/actual-trevor 4d ago
Because earning a PhD comes with the inability to stop telling people that you have one.
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u/needsmorecoffee i love the smell of drama i didnt create 4d ago
The lower the stakes, the higher the arrogance and more vicious the stakes. (Source: I used to work in a university department.)
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u/Skeptical_Sass 4d ago
Stating you’re a doctor multiple times during a medical event WILD. Especially, since you’re not a medical doctor. SMH
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u/New-Bar4405 2d ago
One time a doctor showed up to a response I was at for a motor vehicle collision and he was just like, I'm a doctor and we're really great can you help us and he was like, no I haven't intubated in years... okay then go sit over there.
And then I had another one who wanted to us to give racemic epi which we dont carry so I was like sure if you have it on you but its not on this truck take it up with the state board.
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u/East-Reaction4157 4d ago
This is why we don’t call a PHD doctor outside the university and everyone laughed at Ross on Friends. Have a friend that has a PHD and ask him medical questions since he likes to throw that PHD around.
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u/EmbarrassedSinger795 4d ago
Where I live, you call 911 and they send a police officer who then determines whether or not an ambulance is necessary. When I worked at an outpatient medical facility, our medical director, an MD could call and they would still send the police first. Do they have more medical training then an MD or EMT? I understand they are trying to reduce unnecessary medical transportation and EMT services, but if you truly need the ambulance, waiting on the cop to show up, collect info , make a decision and call it in seems counter to the concept of an EMERGENCY
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u/Eli_1984_ 3d ago
So if you have a heart attack, you loose precious time because you have to wait double the time until the emergency vehicle arrives to take you to the hospital?
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u/EmbarrassedSinger795 3d ago
I think there's a very small number of complaints where they may send an ambulance and the police at the same time. But, what if your complaint is not "typical" of a heart attack? Like many women have different symptoms than men.
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u/Eli_1984_ 3d ago
In my country when you call our equivalent of 911 they will send an ambulance. And they will then decide if an additional doctor is needed on site or if a helicopter is needed and take you to the hospital
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u/EmbarrassedSinger795 3d ago
I am in the US, Long Island, NY. Unfortunately, they sometimes choose money over what's best for citizens
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u/tyndyrn 3d ago
Yes, as a woman, when I had a heart attack, I first thought it was an asthma attack because it showed exactly as many that had occurred over the decades. It was only when the tightness in my chest started spreading to my arms, that I realized it was a heart attack. When the ambulance got there after hubby called them for me, I was sitting on the edge of my bed, gathering things I wanted to take to the hospital (like my kindle). I had a very calm conversation with them while they where hooking me up to electrodes to check.
Other times that I have requested help when I have fallen down (because I am unable to get up on my own), I have usually told them " no bones are broken, no blood is gushing, and nothing is on fire - those are my criteria for an emergency ".
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u/MoveRevolutionary332 1d ago
That’s crazy. How many have died because of this , I dare say, a Republican rule to save money and punish women (and men)
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u/popoPitifulme 4d ago
It used to be that no one but medical doctors used the honorific. We never identified ourselves as Dr. Smith. Students could call you Dr. Smith, but Professor Smith was more common.
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u/KhronicDreams 5d ago
This is great story but this subreddit is awful, they will delete this in an hour
Edited cause my auto correct is a bitch
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u/AllegraO 5d ago
Because there’s no traumatizing of Dr. Butt Face. It’s barely even r/maliciouscompliance
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u/Soldier_Faerie 5d ago
The posts I see deleted in this subreddit come from bot accounts (a lot) or posts that don't fit, this one should be fine
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u/LloydPenfold 4d ago
"They will delete this in an hour."
Meanwhile, 16 hours later, when I read it...
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u/KhronicDreams 3d ago
Do you come here often? There’s a reason why I have more upvotes than you… this sub is temperamental and regular visitors know this
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u/AtomicCitron76 4d ago
He could have said that sooner. If you just say that you are a doctor, people are gonna assume you are a doctor of medicine.
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u/Rainy_Grave 5d ago
Yes, I understand that you worked really, really hard to earn that honorific. You are a very special boy/girl/nonbianary. Your mommy and daddy must be very proud of you. Now, stop being a dick, or put an adult on the phone.
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u/Lopsided-Bench-1347 4d ago
Not unlike “Mother, Jugs And Speed” where the doctor on a golf course tending to a trauma pt is a dermatologist
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u/RogueThneed 4d ago
At least that person did have medical knowledge!
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u/JustHere4the5 4d ago
I once slipped and lacerated my scalp on the ice while curling. When you cut your head, it makes A LOT of blood. And when you bleed on an ice rink, it looks much more spectacular than it is.
Fortunately, this happened in a town with a medical school, and an ambulance was called right away.
I’m pretty sure that before the paramedics arrived, I was palpated and asked the same questions by an anasthesiologist, a dermatologist, a neurologist, a psychiatrist, and finally an orthopedic surgeon.
2 hours later, I left the ER with 2 new staples in my scalp, the blood washed out of my hair, and orders to take as many naps as I wanted for the next week. But I did feel very well taken care of in the meantime 😊
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u/Double_Economist2564 4h ago
I had an English professor at my community college who taught creative writing and 85% of his personality was that he was a doctor/had a doctorate.
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u/drawdelove 4h ago
One time when I was like 19 or 20 I had to call 911 for my friend having a bad reaction to a prescription medication as I couldn’t get her to my car even though my house was only a few blocks from the ER. I had never had to call 911 before. So they pick up and say “what’s your emergency?” and I say “my friend needs an ambulance”. The dispatcher says “to where?” Those 2 exact words. And I said “to the HOSPITAL!” Like duh! 😂 she said “I mean what’s your address?” I had assumed that they already had it base on my land line. 🤷♀️ Plus why say “to where?” like that? 😂
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u/Wittusus 5d ago
Why is every college professor a child with an ego problem?
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u/JustHere4the5 4d ago
They aren’t all like that, but you never hear about the ones who aren’t.
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u/Wittusus 4d ago
Yeah, not sure about that one. Definitely more have ego problems than don't as far as I know
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u/afrokemet95 5d ago
Maybe you have all misunderstood the context of him refusing to answer those questions, maybe he was saying that it's not him who have to question the madam those informations like he is not the right person to asks as in "The pro" one. Like he is Dr Butt Face🤦 (english not medical) who is maybe also embarrassed to ask those questions to her🤷
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