Chris agreed to be interviewed by another blogger a little while ago and upped the ante by challenging his readers to answer any five questions of his choosing.
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Well, no one exactly rolls out the red carpet for me, if that's what you mean. I once got upgraded to first class on an airline, but that was before I graduated from medical school and more due to the low-cut top I was wearing at the time!
I usually don't tell people openly what I do for a living. Occasionally, when people have asked, they act like they don't believe me. At work, I typically get called a nurse by my patients, even after introducing myself as Dr. ______. I don't have a problem with that, but it looks bad when later they tell people that they love our nurses, but were never seen by an actual doctor!
And then, there was the one time this guy walked across Barnes & Noble to chat me up. I was wearing my scrubs as it was just after a shift, and he asked me if I was a nurse. When I told him I was a doctor, he just turned around and walked right off! The resident/intern thing is a confusing thing to try to explain to people, too.
2. What were you like as a teenager?
As a teenager, I remember being frustrated all of the time. I did not ever feel like I fit in with anyone. Most of my friends I had maybe one or two things in common with, but I never really felt close to anyone. During high school, I tended to over-involve myself in all sorts of activities, clubs, and sports. I think that partly stemmed from being bored and trying to find myself. My hometown is kind of bizarre in that it is so small, there weren't really any cliques. I tended to just float from person to person, and never really felt like I fit in. I did a lot of stupid, stupid things to try and please other people that luckily didn't end disastrously. And I didn't date. It was also the kind of environment where everyone knew everyone else's business and I was always too scared to share my feelings.
3. What is the most recent dream that you can remember?
Most recently, I dreamt that a patient was telling me that he had been bitten by a shark. There were bite marks up and down his legs. He denied going to the ocean and said he had been swimming in one of our local lakes. I kept telling him that there was no way that a shark could be in the lake, but he wouldn't believe me. In the dream, I was talking about the patient to an attending and they kept telling me I had to find out the truth. I woke up pretty frustrated from that one.
And then, there was the one time this guy walked across Barnes & Noble to chat me up. I was wearing my scrubs as it was just after a shift, and he asked me if I was a nurse. When I told him I was a doctor, he just turned around and walked right off! The resident/intern thing is a confusing thing to try to explain to people, too.
2. What were you like as a teenager?
As a teenager, I remember being frustrated all of the time. I did not ever feel like I fit in with anyone. Most of my friends I had maybe one or two things in common with, but I never really felt close to anyone. During high school, I tended to over-involve myself in all sorts of activities, clubs, and sports. I think that partly stemmed from being bored and trying to find myself. My hometown is kind of bizarre in that it is so small, there weren't really any cliques. I tended to just float from person to person, and never really felt like I fit in. I did a lot of stupid, stupid things to try and please other people that luckily didn't end disastrously. And I didn't date. It was also the kind of environment where everyone knew everyone else's business and I was always too scared to share my feelings.
3. What is the most recent dream that you can remember?
Most recently, I dreamt that a patient was telling me that he had been bitten by a shark. There were bite marks up and down his legs. He denied going to the ocean and said he had been swimming in one of our local lakes. I kept telling him that there was no way that a shark could be in the lake, but he wouldn't believe me. In the dream, I was talking about the patient to an attending and they kept telling me I had to find out the truth. I woke up pretty frustrated from that one.
4. When you run and “get into the zone”, are you a “thinker” or do you just let your mind go blank?
Blank. I like the calm that comes with not being distracted by all of the usual worries and background thoughts that are bouncing around.
5. Tell us something that you have done, that you would not have thought you would have done in a million years.
5. Tell us something that you have done, that you would not have thought you would have done in a million years.
This is a difficult one for me as most of my recent life has about getting to where I planned to be. To be honest, the move here was difficult for me. It wasn't what I planned on. It certainly wasn't where I expected to be. I am lucky to have supporting friends and family, but I am truly alone here. In many ways, I think that I have grown a lot confidence-wise, and I guess I needed some of that, but it hasn't been easy. I am fortunate to be at a program where I am treated very well, but it is all the other stuff like developing friendships outside of work that has been difficult. If you had asked me 10 years, 5 years, or even 2 years ago, where I would be now, it would never have been here.
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If you are brave enough to play.... Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.” I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.You will update your weblog with the answers to the questions.You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
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3 comments:
OK, OK, Interview me. *said in a halfhearted, world-weary voice*
yes, our hometown was that way, wasn't it? I regret being so shy growing up, but I still think it was the only kind of protection available for me.
wait--you're a doctor? boy, have I missed out :)
I empathize with the "oh, you must be a nurse since you're a woman" mentality, although in my profession, things are slowly improving. There is still an "old boys' network" in many areas of the country and even here in Calif., though.
Great job on the questions!
Stop by and read my interviews when you have time!
Hmmmm I thought I had commented earlier on this:x
In your dream about the shark bitten patient in which the attending insisted you HAD to find the truth.......the attending didn't look anything like Hugh Laurie did he? ha ha
And the dude who walked away upon learning your occupation, you are better off. He obviously had insecurity issues, don't ya think?
I was rather surprised by your childhood answer. I had you pegged for the type who had one or two very close friends but were able to associate with all the "groups" diplomatically.
Your wrote some great answers, Kate!
Happy Mother's Day!
Chris
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