Shouldn’t You Know That?
One unintended consequence of medical school (and becoming a doctor) is now apparent–everyone assumes you should know everything there is to know about the human body. Hell, I’ve only read biochemistry for an online class and I had to defend my right not to know an answer to a question from my roommate:
Roommate: Why are you supposed to work out in the morning?
Me (bullshitting): Hmm. Maybe because your glycogen levels are high in the early morning, so your body will be forced to use its fat reserves first?
Roommate: Really? Because I would think that…
Me: Okay, okay, I have no idea.
Roommate: Shouldn’t you know that? Aren’t you gonna be a doctor?
Me: I don’t know! I’m not a dietician!
But I’m guilty of it, too. I’ve said the exact same thing to my dad (a psychiatrist) on numerous occasions.
Me (pubescent teenager): Dad, why does it hurt when I go like this?
Dad: I don’t know. Don’t go like that.
Me (scathing, bratty, “ God , my parents are so dumb”): Shouldn’t you know that? Aren’t you a doctor?
So now the tables are turned. But the thing is, I kinda feel like, “Yeah, I should know that,” although I don’t understand things well enough yet to integrate all my knowledge. I mean, yeah, I guess I’m supposed to know everything, but… everything? That’s… kind of a lot.