There are two types of off-duty Doctor we meet in the pre-hospital setting – good genuine helpful ones and . . . not so good and helpful ones.
You see, without wanting to wind up the Doctor profession I think it’s safe to say that with experience comes quiet calming confidence and wisdom. When you meet these guys, they just exude knowledge and skill without even trying. Trust and likeability just radiates from them. Don’t get me wrong, I have met the odd tosser of a Consultant (see http://www.not-on-my-shift.org/2011/09/29/theatres/ . . . But I’m not bitter!).
So, it’s also safe to say, further down the “food chain” it would appear some less experienced doctors can be more egotistical and narcissistic. These are the ones who make you just want to . . . erm, slap them hard. Meet either of these in our world, the pre-hospital setting, and their true personalities really shine forth.
Here’s a couple of stories when I met both types . . .