I had just moved to a new state and had to get a new primary care physician. I had a complaint for which I needed medical attention so I went into the clinic to see the family physician. However, I had to do the preliminary form filling and all. There was a space in one of the questionaires asking for my occupation and my employer. For starters, at that time “t” I had no employer and for the profession, I hesitated a bit before filling “housewife”. That is a profession and a full time one for that matter. Initially, I felt bad for hesitating. I felt like I had denied my “real” profession. I felt like I just made inconsequential all the years I spent in school and all the years I spent in UK practicing medicine. To voluntarily deny the years it took me lots of sweat and blood to get. On the other hand, I wondered why on earth was I feeling bad that I had filled ‘House wife’ on the form. That is a glamorous profession for the love of mike. Actually, why do I have to choose ? Perhaps I should have filled into the space ” Full time house-wife and Medical doctor”. Anyway, I couldn’t have done that because I had to choose one. So, I chose house wife with pride and decided to be the undercover doctor.
I decided not to wear my title as a badge because I realized from previous encounters in the past that it had a way of changing the dynamics of my interaction with others. Once the doctor knows I am a doctor, that keeps them on guard and on their toes. Were they not supposed to be on their toes regardless of the profession or status of the patient? All patients are supposed to be treated equally and with utmost respect. Something usually happens when the doctor knows I am a doctor and I don’t like it. There is a terminology called the Hawthorne effect in Epidemiology which involves the alteration of behavior by the subjects of a study due to their awareness of being observed. I understand there is a way you want to treat a colleague differently, even though it is subtle, simply because of the hippocratic oath and also because they cannot be bambozooled by medical jargons because they know.
I have actually had a few times when I had my cover blown. I remember when my son just had a surgery and I stayed with him overnight post-surgery, the nurse assigned to us for the night came to check up and asked if I had any questions. I asked her if I should be worried he had not passed urine in the last 12 hours. Then she acted surprised and told me actually that was a good question. Of course that was a freaking good question! Then she asked if I am in the medical line, so I told her and got my cover blown! Fortunately, my son passed urine few minutes after that.
That is the story of the undercover doctor.