Sunday, March 06, 2011

this one's for the internists

First off, let me just say that from the first moment I put it online, I knew the 11th panel in my "The 12 Medical Specialty Stereotypes" was kind of a cop-out.  To be honest, I just couldn't think of a 12th stereotype at the time.  (I know, Anesthesiology was the actual 12th panel that I drew, but for obvious reasons I'd drawn that panel in my head long before I'd come up with any other the other ones.)  So in the moment of trying to just  trying to finish the thing, I stuck in "Radiation Oncology" because it seems to be one of those medical specialties that no one seems to understand and whose practitioners it seems we never see.  But I always regretted not thinking a little harder or a little bit longer before bringing that comic into the light, because that panel always felt like a squandered opportunity.

Well, three and a half years after the original, let's take that opportunity back.  Here's the new 11th panel of that comic strip: INTERNAL MEDICINE.





I will post a full new version of the comic with the updated panel tomorrow, and also update on the comic page of this website.  As for the radiation oncologists being bumped out of the Big 12...I'm sorry.  Please start doing amusing stuff and maybe I'll make an all new comic just for you.

24 comments:

  1. -Sigh.-

    I'm verklempt.

    Thanks so much for this delayed recognition!

    -Dr. John,
    internist (?last of a dying breed)

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  2. Anonymous1:46 PM

    Woo hoo, a shout out to my future specialty although I want to ultimately do geriatrics. I can only imagine what the cartoon would be for geriatricians. Match Day in less than 2 weeks; holy moly!

    -An M4 soon to be MD :)

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  3. Nikki2:03 PM

    My friend's husband is a radation oncologist...that panel made me laugh - because she was always talking about how busy he was and all I could think is, "what exactly does he do?"

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  4. Anonymous2:33 PM

    no love for Joe's (and my) specialty?

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  5. Classic, says the wife of a med/ger PGY1, M3 herself. Classic with a capital C.

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  6. Anonymous3:46 PM

    I can't believe its been 3 1/2 years since you posted this comic. Is this a sign of more comics to come? please say yes

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  7. Anonymous4:24 PM

    haha i was just showing this to my senior the other day and he was commenting on how there wasn't any IM-love. well, now there is!

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  8. Anonymous6:15 PM

    Dr. Au, Thank you. When I first saw the 12 stereotypes, I was almost dismayed that internal medicine wasn't represented.

    IM resident

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  9. Anonymous6:32 PM

    Ah, I always felt neglected b/c my specialty wasn't included. Now I feel whole :). Thanks! (by the way, the neurology panel cracks me up every time, b/c it is so true).

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  10. Hahaha, this is very reminiscent of my current rotation in IM.

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  11. Anonymous6:59 PM

    As an aspiring radiation oncology trainee, I was mildly disappointed when the rad onc panel wasn't more incisive and humerous. Now that it's gone altogether, I'm devastated :(

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  12. Don't be sad, Rad Onc! Just be glad you're not as easily mocked as the rest of us!

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  13. Anonymous12:18 AM

    what about surgery???

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  14. Anonymous1:48 AM

    So I know there aren't many of us so I'm not holding out much hope for a future panel, but, if you've ever had to consult Genetics, you'd know that there is so much to mock. We've got more words to describe FLKs than you can possibly imagine and we're possibly the only specialists who can do LESS about the problems we diagnose than the Neurologists.

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  15. Anonymous10:23 AM

    :( Realistically, IM deserves a panel way more than we do, but the members of my residency program were always perversely pleased by the mention of our existence - however fleeting. ;)

    Rad Onc Resident

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