Hi, I was just curious when you have been doing your rotations how are you looked at when in a group of younger students.
Do people assume you have been there for years? I would think if you have 2 newly graduated doctors - one older and one younger people would assume the older doctor has more experience. Maybe I am wrong about that.
This has been a source of endless amusement to me. I introduce myself to patients as “the medical student on the team,” or a “student doctor.” Instantly I apparently lose about 20 years off my obvious age (I do dye my hair so maybe I look a little younger than my 48 years but not much!). If I end up in a conversation with a patient that involves a reference to my high-school age kid, for example, they are nothing short of astounded. You can see them doing the math in their heads; it would seem that they are concluding that I must’ve had a kid at age 13. 
I try to go easy on them and NOT mention that my high-schooler is, in fact, my youngest child.
My experiences have generally been in settings where people are used to students - either hospital or outpatient. So as soon as you introduce yourself as a student they know you’re not there for long.
I have been wondering that as well.
As a resident or junior doctor fresh out of residency, do people assume that you know more and cut you less slack?
I am a bit worried that people will expect me to know stuff because I look like a doctor with an extra 15 years experience.
Craig
I think people will probably assume you know more… and more than likely you will know more than your younger counterparts… it might not be the things that the people are expecting you to know though. 
People too are astounded (other students) when I tell them my age. Usually it starts out that I tell them I have kids, and that gets them to freaking out…then eventually they ask me my age… LOL…I guess I don’t look my age though… whatever that means…
There will be a learning curve for all of us, I’m sure. Remember though… learning is what keeps you young.
Andrea
Quote:
As a resident or junior doctor fresh out of residency, do people assume that you know more and cut you less slack?
I am a bit worried that people will expect me to know stuff because I look like a doctor with an extra 15 years experience.
Craig
The amount of trust that people will put in you as a doctor is the most terrifying, humbling thing. While you will encounter folks who are skeptical if you’re “junior” (e.g. student or resident) and will ask to talk to someone who knows what they’re doing, such encounters are rare. Most patients very much want to be able to trust and believe in their doctors. It’s up to us to provide knowledgeable, informative, compassionate care that is deserving of that trust.
On specific stuff - I’ve seen the most senior doctors say, “I’d really like to bounce this off my colleague, do you mind waiting for a minute and letting me talk to her/him? or have her look at this?” I don’t think that perturbs people. And it’s okay to say, “I don’t know,” if you explain your thinking and what you’d like to do to try and figure it out. Obviously HOW you have such conversations is key. And I do think that’s where age/experience is helpful - we’ve just had more years on earth to figure out how to be tactful. Or not.
Finally, when you’re a new attending in practice, most folks will just know that you’re new to the practice or area. They won’t have any idea that you’re fresh out of residency and so yeah, they may assume that you’ve got, say, 15 years experience. To be honest, as a patient I’d rather have someone just out of residency (fresh info) so don’t feel apologetic for what you’ll be offering.