Being in medicine is a strange situation. There are parts of it that anyone off the street would understand. We talk to people all the time. Spend a good amount of time on the phone with colleagues discussing interesting cases to get new insight. Even more time is spent in front of computers doing paperwork, charting each move and decision. It frankly isn't always that exciting, certainly not like it appears on TV.
But there are parts that if most people heard about would be appalled. It is strange, medieval at times. We do things that would get most anyone else put in jail. From jabbing needles into people to remove fluids (akin to draining the bad humors) to actively putting new fluids into them through lines in their arms. We slice people people open and remove infection, cancer, irritants. We convince people that the things we are doing are the best possible options for them to be better, feel better, live more happily and healthily. Such a strange little set-up we have. Sometimes I'm in awe that people are so trusting of the things I say and ask them to do.
