Everyone Wants Free Advice
There are some situations for which medical school simply doesn't prepare you. Consider Thanksgiving dinner, when Aunt Myrtle buttonholes you about a recurring rash that's been bothering her. Or the sideline consult that one of the parents at your kid's football game wants to have, right after her son lands awkwardly trying to catch a pass.
When you're a physician, informal requests for information are simply part of the conversational landscape. Sometimes those requests are a quick and easy way to help someone out with a bit of information, a simple clarification, or a reassuring affirmation. Other times they can escalate and become annoyances: A simple question can result in a follow-up phone call and more requests. And, in a worst-case scenario, they can present ethical landmines that may tempt physicians to cross professional boundaries.
How do you address or deflect such requests? Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. It depends a lot on you, your boundaries, and the situation.
READ FULL ARTICLE to find out more from medscape.com
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