Not impressed.

So, I recently had something termed a 'surgical workshop', with mock OSCE stations (though we were assured they would be informal).

I have done this sort of thing before, and knew what to expect. I also knew that I was a bit sketchy on some of the potential stations, but was prepared to accept being told off by the doctors, if it meant an improvement in my skills.

What I didn't count on was one of the doctors (an F1 or an F2, I can't remember which, but certainly not higher) being, for want of a more polite term, a complete - actually, I had better use a more polite term...hmmm...okay, what I didn't count on was him being so pretentious and rude.

I did not mind in the slightest his harsh comments on my technique (the station was to do an abdominal exam), where I felt it due. What really annoyed me, though, was at the end when I said, following a tirade of (admittedly deserved) horribleness (sort of hoping for a tiny bit of positive feedback, since I'd received none so far, and I knew that there had been SOME good things in my examination), "So, was there anything else major I could have improved on, or was the rest okay?" , the following exchange took place...

Him: "Well, in an abdominal exam, you kind of inspect generally then go to the hands, then you go to the face and so on. I've no idea why you went for the eyes first."

Me: "Well, after general inspection, I've always done it top to toe. I didn't realise it mattered. I was taught it that way."

Him (smirking with disbelief, patient's still there by the way): "Oh really? Who taught you that then?"

Me: "I can't even remember. I've ALWAYS done it that way."

Him (with a derisive laugh, and the most pretentious tone you can imagine): "Well, I went to (says name of my uni), and I was never taught that way."

Me (obviously pissed off now): "Well. All right then. Thanks very much."

What in the world was that about?! I thought it made no ounce of difference which way round it happened, as long as both were covered. And I've had some pretty mean consultants (CONSULTANTS) watch me do abdomen exams in the top-to-toe manner and they've never had a problem with this method.

Well, there you go. A prime example of 'acting above your standard' at its best, I feel.