I have heard about how med schools don't pay any scholarships for their students. It's unfortunate that doctors come out with so much debt. As a result, they do have to cut corners--such as cutting back on help in their offices. My doctor even came in and emptied a trash can while I was there!

Other pet peeves of mine, as follows:

"Dear doctors:

Why do you have us fill out all that paperwork when we come into your office (and it's hard for me to do because of problems with my hand) and then when we are sitting in your exam room, you come in and ask us many of the same questions again? I try to be polite, but I feel like saying, 'Doc, can't you read what I just wrote down?'

And, also, please remember that we can ask for copies of our medical records, so we can catch you in lies. For example, I saw that my neurologist reported that he had given me test questions to check on my memory every time I came into his exam room, when he only did it one time. My husband has been there each time, so he could vouch for that. And then my orthopedist reported that he had spent "a long time going over the options available before carpal tunnel release had been suggested." Actually, he had no such discussion with me at all. I did tell him what all I had tried, but he certainly didn't "discuss" anything with me!

Gee! I've heard that docs used to be a lot more blunt and negative about some patients and wrote up such things in their records before patients were more likely to get copies. I know you docs are only human, but remember that many of us come in scared and upset--and we can regress and generally not be on our best behavior in doctors' offices....

Thank you for your consideration.

Your patient"