Let the Pimping Begin ...

Anthony Rudine -- In the last couple of weeks, I began my rotation in Neurology and Psychiatry. My family is always interested in what I am doing, anything going on in the hospital, etc. However, I think they are confused as to what I actually do. A common remark goes something like this – “But you don’t know that much about (fill in the blank), so how can you make decisions and see patients by yourself…?”

Well, allow me to answer. First off, I make no decisions, I simply make suggestions. Some are right, some are wrong. I see many patients by myself, and my primary job is to get a clear picture of what has been going on, why they are here, if the medications have been working or not.

Essentially, I explain, this is how medical students learn. We go in and see the patient, read up on their condition, quickly, and try to formulate some sort of plan for their treatment. Then, at will, the pimping can begin.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, pimping is common lingo in our hospital used to describe the barrage of questions that are directed at you like scud missiles coming overhead. This is also how we learn, and when some students learn to keep their big mouths shut.

The questions range from anything from treatment options to risk stratification, and here’s the point – no one will answer all of them. They are usually asked until you begin to be wrong.

I guess what I am saying is that no matter how smart you think you are, there is always someone smarter, so it's better to be humble and know your limits than to be arrogant and feel boundless. Pimping is just my way of explaining that to you.