Do all surgeons think that they are Gods?

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I used to work in a small community hospital with 4 OR rooms, it seems that most of our surgeons think that they are God when they are in the OR. Why are the Doctors who have terrible bedside manners, usually the best surgeons, and the Doctors who do not have the best skills, are loved dearly by the staff and the patients.

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I think we could call this another one of Murphy's laws for nurses.

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One of these days, the Great Surgeons, will be old and lonely!!

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Specializes in ICU.

You know...I've been really fortunate to have never met a surgeon like how you describe yet!

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99.9% of the surgeons I have worked w/ are warm, caring and funny--can count on one hand the arrogant ones.....don't be intimidatd by them--they're just people. The arrogant ones are usually the ones that were hotshots in med schol and were taught (prob. by their moms) that they are better than everyone wlse--there is no help for such people. Avoid them at all costs!

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Yes, Angie, sadly many surgeons think they are gods. Perhaps this is a special course they take in surgeon school. But seriously, perhaps this goes along with the "power corrupts" theory- after years of being catered to by everyone they come in contact with (patients, nurses, sales reps, and even people they see socially), perhaps they begin to believe they are better than the "common folk". Some of these guys are also dealing with insecurities that are buried deep--society expects them to be all-knowing, all-powerful, yet no human can be that, so they feel that have to maintain a "good front". And lets face it, some people are just jerks, and surgeons who also happen to be jerks don't have the same kind of checks and balances on their behavior that the average person has--it has been part of the culture in hospitals for years that doctors can act any way they want to, because the hospitals are dependent on them to bring patients in.

In my experience it does not always follow that the poorer surgeons have better social skills. Where I currently work we have a surgeon with terrible interpersonal skills, and he is not a particularly good surgeon, yet he frequently acts very arrogant in the OR, and is very demanding--I really think the root of this is insecurity, at some level he is aware that he is not very good, yet he maintains a "I am a doctor, I am god" front.

We have another surgeon who is an excellent surgeon, yet he is a super nice guy--talks to everyone the same, whether they are another doctor, or a nursing assistant.

As liberalrn said there is no hope for the arrogant ones!

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Specializes in Interventional Pain Mgmt NP; Prior ICU and L/D RN.

What is the difference between a surgeon and a puppy?

The puppy grows up and stops whining!!!!

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Q: What do you call a basement full of surgeons?

A: A "whine" cellar!

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Specializes in ICU.

What is the difference between a nun and a theatre nurse?

The nun serves only ONE god!

P.S. I told THAT joke at a Catholic Hospital and brought the house down!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Answer:

No they don't all think they are gods; they "KNOW" it.:D

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Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

Answer:

No they don't all think they are gods; they "KNOW" it.:D

LMAO...you just read my mind!

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Specializes in Step down, ICU, ER, PACU, Amb. Surg.

There is a heirerarchy (sp??) and it is as follows:

GOD

NeuroSurgeons

Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons

Orthopaedic Surgeons

Plastic Surgeons

General Surgeons

However, i have found that if you give their nonsense right back to them and have the experience to back it, you have tons of respect and they turn into these warm caring beings with a sense of incredible humor!

Christie

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