tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post5080547319281264423..comments2024-03-09T11:08:34.910+02:00Comments on other things amanzi: graciousBongihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12918640034313468627noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-68697634655591679452009-08-10T12:02:21.101+02:002009-08-10T12:02:21.101+02:00Sea Spray: saddening isn't it that some people...Sea Spray: saddening isn't it that some people somehow think a "Thank you" is beneath them, e.g. in restaurants, the post office or, say, surgery. <br /><br />My daughter had 2 operations early on this year. Following the first (major) operation, to thank the surgeon, I stitched him a whacky scrub cap. He (and the prof of his firm) was amazed that I'd take the time to stitch something especially for him as a thank you. They don't often get them, apparently!! <br /><br />She had to have follow-up surgery and then a couple more clinic appointments. When he finally signed her off, we asked him if he'd like another cap and gave him a choice of fabrics. He said he'd love one, but didn't expect me to do so. When I said it was my way of saying an enormous thanks to him for repairing my childs' duff arm, he told me I didn't need to. So I responded "Well, I know I don't need to and you were only doing your job, but you still deserve a thank you and it probably doesn't happen often enough." He smiled somewhat enigmatically, which I guess is the English way of saying "Damn right it doesn't"!!! Then he said Thank you! <br /><br />I've learned over the years, that something as small as a smile or a Thank you can turn someone's day around on a sixpence. It's THAT powerful and we just don't harness it enough.Jabulanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12847825459654555235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-86362794038645886892009-08-10T06:08:44.706+02:002009-08-10T06:08:44.706+02:00They sound like terrific people. I am a firm beli...They sound like terrific people. I am a firm believer in respecting people, being gracious and thank yous in whatever form.<br /><br />For my doctors..that means a nice thank you letter and food.<br /><br />Enjoyed the post and reading the differences in our cultures. Interesting.SeaSprayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07906503090688697222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-28613621122073571612009-08-06T03:08:06.494+02:002009-08-06T03:08:06.494+02:00SA/Britain vs USA for dummies or physicians:
US pr...SA/Britain vs USA for dummies or physicians:<br />US premed = doesn't exist in SA (once you get chosen for medicine, you can only finish as a doctor i.e. No undergraduate + MD...we have 2 bachelors instead (takes 6 years), namely surgery and medicine. <br /><br />US internship takes place in 1 field only i.e. It's effectively the preschool to your chosen specialist field. You can also intern in family medicine afterwhich you can be a GP or do a further 3/4 years to become a specialist GP (which is what family medicine). Should you choose a dedicated field to intern in i.e. Internal med or surgery, then you'll pretty much move onto residency in that field. In SA we do 2 years intership through every major facet of medicine, then we're GP's.<br /><br />US residency is what we call registrarship. This means specializing.<br /><br />what you call an internist we call a physician. What you call a fellow, we also do. Here you spcialize for 4 years, then subspecialize (as a fellow), whereas in the US it's all part of the parcel, like internship...i.e. You pretty much choose to become a cardiologist from the get go, whereas here it'll be the last thing we do.<br /><br />what you call an attending (qualified hospital specialist in charge of a firm) we call a consultant. <br /><br />Cardiology, infectious diseases, rheumatology, pulmonology, nephrology are all subspecializations of internal medicine, which in turn is a specialist field itself (what HOUSE MD is - diagnostics etc.) and to become a cardiologist in SA incl. 4 years registrar training in internal medicine to get a masters degree, thena further 2 years as a certified fellow. Add the 2 years for general medicial officer post and a compulsory year as community service officer, to the whole shebang to subspecialize in SA takes 15 to 17 years. Whereas to be a GP takes only 8.<br /><br />That's what 'only' means - its almost a decades learning and experience difference. And amongst SA doctors if your a super (sub-) specialist you've achieved the all inclusive pinnacle, wheras is the US (and I speak from friends studying there), the route to cardiology (which isn't a subspecialization in most states) is stream lined i.e. You don't have to do internal medicine first, but rather rotate there for a while.<br /><br />Q. So which is better?<br />A. Apples and pears - one fat flippin apple versus one super streamlined pear.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-25330103882785664992009-08-03T15:16:18.654+02:002009-08-03T15:16:18.654+02:00Regarding the meaning of "Primary Care Provid...Regarding the meaning of "Primary Care Provider" in the US, the term describes the role of the doctor more than any specific qualification.<br /><br />Certain medical insurance plans in the US expect one to declare one doctor as an initial contact point for all treatment. They provide you with a list of allowable primary care physicians, and you choose one. Then, if you believe that you need to see a dermatologist or other specialist, you must at least call this doctor and receive a referral. Obviously these rules are relaxed somewhat when dealing with emergency situations.<br /><br />Doctors chosen to fill this role are often specialists in internal medicine or family medicine. They can also be general practitioners or gynecologists.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-83109594041045142252009-08-02T22:55:20.788+02:002009-08-02T22:55:20.788+02:00In general, I think doctors are like everyone else...In general, I think doctors are like everyone else, only more so.Greg Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18422487877167541900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-39994493418051179312009-08-02T18:19:55.942+02:002009-08-02T18:19:55.942+02:00Bongi, you are lucky! I have an American MDPhD stu...Bongi, you are lucky! I have an American MDPhD student at my unit who believes that all African doctors are sub-optimal and only the Americans ca do any decent research (and he's not even "only a doctor" yet!)<br />Meanwhile, the "only a GP" thing seems to be fairly limited to medical circles (and medical families mayber). My non-medical friends treat me as if I'm the walking Harrison's: from where to get a breast reduction to diagnosing obscure autoimmune conditions in their kids. Sometimes I WISH they'd realise I'm only a GP!Laznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-77032699057580886702009-08-02T07:57:04.145+02:002009-08-02T07:57:04.145+02:00i actually must disagree with sindz. although ther...i actually must disagree with sindz. although there is pressure to specialise just after graduating (first 5 years or so) only about 10% of south african doctors actually do specialise.Bongihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918640034313468627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-80769554274934173442009-08-02T07:50:51.821+02:002009-08-02T07:50:51.821+02:00Bongi you used the word 'only' correctly. ...Bongi you used the word 'only' correctly. That is the prevailing attitude in our country. <br /><br />"Oh so you're only a GP? I see..."<br /><br />And NO the specialities are not viewed on par...LOL! It's a toss up between the surgeons and the specialist physicians!sindzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13309390598300585283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-82334763789751593452009-08-02T07:48:32.675+02:002009-08-02T07:48:32.675+02:00Maybe if I explain our training you'll underst...Maybe if I explain our training you'll understand. <br /><br />We do 5 or 6 years of basic medical training. The first 2 years are theory and anatomy. The latter years are clinical. So we rotate through every single field of medicine. <br /><br />At my alma mater we did everything. Internal medicine, surgery, obs and gynae, a stint in haematology, GIT, derms, psychiatry...everything. So by the time you're done...you are ready to be a GP. <br /><br />You serve your compulsory government years and then as explained before, you're expected to specialize. <br /><br />So people like me, that have NO intention of specializing are frowned upon...even my dad has been bugging me...so yes there is a prestige thing going on here in South Africa...actually in Southern Africa as a whole...sindzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13309390598300585283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-23022485321018533412009-08-02T07:47:22.317+02:002009-08-02T07:47:22.317+02:00in south africa you study for 6 years to become a ...in south africa you study for 6 years to become a doctor. then internship then community service year. at this stage you are a general practitioner. i think this is what you guys call a primary care physician.<br /><br />then you study for a further 4 to 5 years to become a specialist in internal medicine. and it is this creature we call a physician.<br /><br />shadowfax, maybe the use of the word only was not ideal. but then again an extra five years of study is not to be scoffed at.<br /><br />here to do cardiology you'd have to do a further two years so by study time they are above physicians (south african definition).<br /><br />we view all specialities as pretty much on a par, although i'm sure everyone secretly wishes they were general surgeons.Bongihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12918640034313468627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-68262384467838807762009-08-02T07:42:15.182+02:002009-08-02T07:42:15.182+02:00South Africa is weird. There is a high premium pla...South Africa is weird. There is a high premium placed on sepcializing. For example I finished my community service at the end of 2007. I am now working for an HIV/AIDS NGO. Most of my peers are in their first year of specializing. And everyone wants to know WHEN I'm going to specialize...so the 'only a doctor' thing stems from that.<br /><br />And trust me if you are a GP in SA...you're 'only a doctor'...and yet in my books they are the most important of all. Without them, how else would people end up at the specialists except via casualty?!sindzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13309390598300585283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-76778490130808600972009-08-02T07:31:00.719+02:002009-08-02T07:31:00.719+02:00I was also confused by the distinction. As an adu...I was also confused by the distinction. As an adult in the U.S., all of my doctors have been MDs who were board certified in Internal Medicine. It's not high or low in terms of prestige. <br /><br />Is there a residency difference in South African for a physician vs. an MD?Travisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-64398642787030155932009-08-02T04:51:51.561+02:002009-08-02T04:51:51.561+02:00i was under the impression i had to do with a phys...<i>i was under the impression i had to do with a physician (when in actual fact i later found out he was only a doctor).</i><br /><br />I don't get the distinction, or at least I don't get the "only" part of it. Yes, in the US "physician" and "doctor" are more or less synonymous. But "only a doctor" is strange -- is a non-physician doctor less prestigious where you are? <br /><br />I don't see a big difference in respect and stature between internists and other specialists. Internal medicine is above Family practice on the totem pole, maybe above pediatrics. Also below cardiology or neurology (possibly ER?). It's not some gloried thing.<br /><br />(also, most infectious disease specialists did an internal medicine residency first.)<br /><br />So, what's the pecking order down South?shadowfaxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11648279307230813762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-16763123578252319022009-08-02T00:53:32.912+02:002009-08-02T00:53:32.912+02:00I am reminded of a line in the film Mrs Henderson ...I am reminded of a line in the film Mrs Henderson Presents where Dame Judi Dench says of an American chap "You're American? Lovely manners, pity about the accent."<br /><br />Europeans <i>can</i> be equally gracious; I've met several in the majorly touristy town where I live. Of course, I've also met several of similar ilk to the ones you earlier mentioned! Belgian or French mostly... ;)Jabulanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12847825459654555235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37286253.post-9641528082009566392009-08-01T22:40:17.594+02:002009-08-01T22:40:17.594+02:00I am happy to hear some American tourist can be so...I am happy to hear some American tourist can be so gracious. My kind of lady. :)rlbateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15236331355857884458noreply@blogger.com