Consider the legal implications. I can’t imagine wanting to face a deposition, let alone a jury, in a case in which a child was permitted to serve as the medical interpreter. In fact, many adults can’t even decode half of the things we say, even in their own language (a reminder to avoid jargon and never to assume that patients have complete medical literacy).

Mark Reid, MD (@MedicalAxioms), a hospitalist in Denver, has published an entire book of modern medical quips, from serious to hysterical, that would have made even Dr. William Osler swoon with jealousy. Among Dr. Reid’s tweets sporting this hashtag is: “Some patients make themselves vomit in an attempt to relieve severe nausea. It’s not a trick or deception in an attempt to be taken seriously. It’s an age-old ‘home remedy.’”

It is indeed all too tempting to chalk up a patient’s self-induced vomiting (or their tympanic membrane piercing attempts to do so) as a form of malingering or an attempt to gain our attention. But this tweet is a reminder to keep an open mind about our patients’ motivations.

Gabrielle Inglis, MD (@GabrielleInglis), a family medicine physician in Boston, brilliantly flipped the script with a list of #TipsForAttendings, underscoring that, as supervisors and mentors, we have an enormous impact on both the academic and emotional well-being of our trainees. Here are her top five:

1. “Make your expectations clear for how and when to review cases with you and remember, every staff they work with wants it done differently.”
2. “Explicitly tell them to take a break to eat—and not just ice cream rounds but real food.”
3. “If you notice them becoming flustered while presenting, chances are it’s a reflection of your demeanor. Be curious, kind and patient.”
4. “Role model respect for everyone you work with in the hospital—including the unsung heroes, clerks and custodial staff.”
5. And finally, most important, “Don’t be a jerk.”

Want more? Visit these hashtags on Twitter. Do you have any great tips for new (and old) doctors? Send them my way or post them on Twitter with the hashtag included.

Reference

1. Jena AB, Sun EC, Romley JA. Mortality among high-risk patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted to U.S. teaching-intensive hospitals in July: a retrospective observational study. Circulation. 2013;128(25):2754-2763.