To wonder this about medical doctors?

[ilovebreadsauce]

Do your friends who ate medical doctors seem able to hold a conversation for more than 5 minutes without mentioning something about being a doctor? I have noticed this with every single one I know. Why?

The doctors I know around my age (40s) don't talk about it any more than anyone else I know talks about work.
My dad is a retired doctor and brings it up at any and every opportunity. He is lovely, but an old school, God-complex sort of doctor and it remains a huge part of his identity even though he retired 20 years ago.

Majority of the families at school have at least one doctor parent (academically selective prep school surrounded by big London hospitals) : none mention it at all. I’m the one bringing it up as I get great suggestions for who to go to at which hospital for what ailment. My friends who are doctors did talk about the work during Covid as many of them were roped into working on medical covid wards when they weren’t respiratory physicians (eg dermatologists) and they were left quite traumatised by what they saw. But post pandemic they don’t talk about work more than I do about mine, and only ever if I ask.

literally the only time ive heard it mentioned was when the nursing assistant to the school nurse tried to (mis)diagnose a paediatrician’s child. That didn’t go well.

😂

I tend to avoid talking about being a doctor as it tends to bring out the hypochondriac in many people. I do have a colleague who starts every sentence with "as a clinician....". We just collectively go 🙄

DH has two relatives who are Doctors and our neighbour now moved was a GP, never mentioned. I volunteer now and I asked one of the women what she had done before she retired and she was a Doctor, she has never mentioned it again and only did because I asked.

No, this has never happened. Pilots on the other hand....

My DIL is a medical professional and she doesn't really talk much about it, unless she is asked.
I used to look after an elderly lady whose nephew was a GP, and she never failed to slot him into every conversation we ever had
Bless her 😊

I'm older (and semi-retired). I noticed on a recent group activity that most of the people when introducing themselves/getting to know other people just say that they are retired.

Except the former doctors.

Who are always a retired GP, a retired paediatric surgeon, a retired anaesthetist... (this includes 2 of my friends). It's like their former career define them and without it they are just lowly old crumblies alongsided the rest of us (who might have had stellar careers in other industries, or devoted their working lives to a low paid charitable cause, or had an admin post).

I used to know a woman who was a nurse and she mentioned it constantly, mainly to get praise from people.

Her daughter who was primary aged at the time also used to say to kids 'my mum is a nurse' all the time.

I have loads of doctor (and vet) friends and family. No one ever discusses their job with non-medic/vets if they can help it, especially the vets as it’s a kneejerk that people just can’t help themselves asking about their pet’s health. One time I renewed my car insurance on the phone and needed to mention my job. Cue 10 minutes of asking for advice about her pregnant dog 🙄. Not sure which doctors you know but I really don’t think they are in the majority.

No none of them. They seem glad to get away from anything medical unless they are asked about something. They never mention it to strangers/on holiday/ etc but will always step in if someone has an accident or is very unwell when they are out and about.

They mention it much less than my teacher friends bring up their jobs

I had a friend who was a HIV and sexual health consultant. I thought that was an absolute brilliant way of ensuring random strangers don’t ask advice. But no I know several gps and they rarely talk
about work.

As patients, retired doctors tend not to mention it, or just ask you to get on with it.

There is a subgroup of ex-nurses however who will never let you forget it, usually banging on about how much better it was in their day, oblivious to the fact that half the stuff nurses have to do now hadn't been invented then.

Not my experience at all - many can converse for several days without mentioning it