That phrase sums up my experience with many doctors, especially young ones. They have this medical-school-induced hubris that gets really annoying... especially when they try and out-jargon you. If a friend reaches out for medical advice for an ailment I know about or have experienced, I will often reply with what works for me. Inevitably, there's a post somewhere in the thread from a friend who is a doctor or a nurse who says essentially the same thing I said, but using medical terminology. I know those words, too, but they aren't particularly helpful in trying to explain to someone how to soothe their bronchitis.
I think I get most annoyed because I probably read a lot more medical literature than many doctors do, especially when it comes to immune system, asthma, and allergies. I read this stuff not only because I'm curious, but also because my life could someday depend on my knowing that a certain drug may induce a certain response in someone like me. It's the most time consuming "hobby" I've ever had.
Every doctor should realize that there are patients out there who do have knowledge and who are very well-versed in their diseases. I've finally got a team of doctors who realizes that I do read the literature and do understand it. It would just be nice if every doctor in every medical advice forum would actually consider that other people have good answers, too. But that would require people to read the whole thread before they comment... and who does THAT?
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