I was reading my Manual of Clinical Oncology & came across a little footnote (on one of the pages on cancer terminology) which read, “Jargon is the use of pseudo-words plucked from a “word salad” to make the simple appear arcane, to disguise one’s ignorance of a subject, or to have secret codes that can be used to gain entry into a club.”
The medical profession is often mistaken as a “prestigious club” by many, including medical professionals themselves. Of course, medical professionals are able to speak a “different language”, one which is taught only at medical institutions. It seems reputable to be able to speak this language, but is it so in real life?
Here are 3 examples of conversation (between doctors & patients at my old hospital in Kuching) which illustrate the above meaning of “jargon”. I’m exaggerating a little bit, just so that you get a clearer picture:
Case 1
Patient: (who has breast cancer & not that highly educated) What do I have, doctor?
Doctor: You have Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma of the breast, where the surgeons have performed total mastectomy & axillary dissection.
Patient: Infiltrating what?
Doctor: Infiltrating ductal carcinoma, which is a cancer, so what you need now is chemotherapy, radiotherapy & possibly hormonal manipulation.
Patient: (confused) …chemo….and…?
Doctor: Yes, chemo. Do you agree for chemo?
Patient: Must I have chemo? What if I don’t want chemo?
Doctor: If you don’t have chemo, you are going to die. Do you want chemo or do you want to die?
Case 2
Patient: (who has breast cancer & highly educated) I have a friend who went for FISH test …
Doctor: (who didn’t really know what the test is all about) So?
Patient: I was just wondering if I should do that same…
Doctor: You’re here today for your chemo, but your total white cell count & neutrophils are low, so we have to delay chemo for a week …
Patient: (got distracted by doctor) Oh? I can’t have chemo today?
Doctor: Yup.
Patient: Why is is so?
Doctor: Well, chemo causes myelosuppression, that’s why your total white cell is low. You can’t do anything about it. Just go home & wait. Come back next week.
Case 3
Doctor: Kenapa bunuh diri?
Patient: (who attempted suicide an hour before, by consuming excessive Paracetamol tablets -- keeping her head down & remaining silent)
Doctor: (lifting patient’s chin in a rough manner) Saya tanya kamu, kenapa bunuh diri?
Patient: (still keeping quiet)
Doctor: (turning to junior doctor & nurse) Do a gastric lavage & take PCM level. If exceed, just give N-acetylcysteine. Follow the “black book”.
* Sorry, this is not exactly something that fits “Laughter the best medicine” though I did laugh when my former nurses told me about them. Maybe it was the way they told me, with the gesture & the imitation of various doctors, but what had transpired is actually a sad thing & certainly a disgrace to the medical profession.
The medical profession is often mistaken as a “prestigious club” by many, including medical professionals themselves. Of course, medical professionals are able to speak a “different language”, one which is taught only at medical institutions. It seems reputable to be able to speak this language, but is it so in real life?
Here are 3 examples of conversation (between doctors & patients at my old hospital in Kuching) which illustrate the above meaning of “jargon”. I’m exaggerating a little bit, just so that you get a clearer picture:
Case 1
Patient: (who has breast cancer & not that highly educated) What do I have, doctor?
Doctor: You have Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma of the breast, where the surgeons have performed total mastectomy & axillary dissection.
Patient: Infiltrating what?
Doctor: Infiltrating ductal carcinoma, which is a cancer, so what you need now is chemotherapy, radiotherapy & possibly hormonal manipulation.
Patient: (confused) …chemo….and…?
Doctor: Yes, chemo. Do you agree for chemo?
Patient: Must I have chemo? What if I don’t want chemo?
Doctor: If you don’t have chemo, you are going to die. Do you want chemo or do you want to die?
Case 2
Patient: (who has breast cancer & highly educated) I have a friend who went for FISH test …
Doctor: (who didn’t really know what the test is all about) So?
Patient: I was just wondering if I should do that same…
Doctor: You’re here today for your chemo, but your total white cell count & neutrophils are low, so we have to delay chemo for a week …
Patient: (got distracted by doctor) Oh? I can’t have chemo today?
Doctor: Yup.
Patient: Why is is so?
Doctor: Well, chemo causes myelosuppression, that’s why your total white cell is low. You can’t do anything about it. Just go home & wait. Come back next week.
Case 3
Doctor: Kenapa bunuh diri?
Patient: (who attempted suicide an hour before, by consuming excessive Paracetamol tablets -- keeping her head down & remaining silent)
Doctor: (lifting patient’s chin in a rough manner) Saya tanya kamu, kenapa bunuh diri?
Patient: (still keeping quiet)
Doctor: (turning to junior doctor & nurse) Do a gastric lavage & take PCM level. If exceed, just give N-acetylcysteine. Follow the “black book”.
* Sorry, this is not exactly something that fits “Laughter the best medicine” though I did laugh when my former nurses told me about them. Maybe it was the way they told me, with the gesture & the imitation of various doctors, but what had transpired is actually a sad thing & certainly a disgrace to the medical profession.
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