Advice

On dealing with assholes

I’m a 3rd year medical student. I rotate with different doctors in different specialties every month. The doctor I’m with currently is sexist and racist and constantly makes fun of his patients. I can’t stand him. I hate the way he practices medicine and I do not respect him at all as a person. Do I play the game and keep my mouth shut until my four weeks are up? Or do I call him out on some of his bullshit? I already know the answer. Keep my mouth shut and get it over with, but I know I will be dealing with people like him again. How do I deal with people like this?


Simple. You do your job to the best of your ability and quietly put this doctor on your shit list. No further action is required.

This portion of your rotation is a lesson on how to deal with an asshole in a position of authority. Calling him out gets you nothing. In fact, it hurts you. He’ll still be an asshole, only now you’ll be on his shit list. That’s a waste of righteousness.

You’ve had your head up your ass studying for the past two decades, but you’re about to find out that the world is full of assholes. “Calling them out” is a child’s reaction. Adults learn how to manipulate the situation to their advantage in subtle ways.

An asshole’s karma makes fantastic leverage.

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2 thoughts on “On dealing with assholes

  1. Megan Coleman says:

    And yet, when we leave racist and sexist comments unchallenged, don’t we tacitly consent to the perpetuation of the patriarchy and white supremacy?

    • Quinn says:

      Perhaps, but it’s such a small drop in the bucket that personal wellbeing can pretty solidly take a front seat to idealistic pursuits. It’s a sucky situation

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