Disrespect in medicine

I think it's about time I write this entry.  Since I've started medical school I've dealt with a lot of difficult personalities, some who genuinely mistreated me and others, including patients.

I would always "suck it up" and never say anything back when someone said something unnecessarily critical of me or not constructive, especially in front of a crowd, and including patients.

As much as I'd like to think there's no room for disrespect in medicine, it's just a given fact that mistreatment, abuse, and ridicule happens on a daily basis to a lot of people in their training.

I hate how a lot of it comes from people who you can't challenge because they're so high up in the hierarchy or have been in senior positions for so long.

I hate hearing about friends of mine being mistreated and disrespected.

I and others shouldn't feel powerless though, because we can fill out evaluations on people like that so their behavior gets called to attention and something gets done about it.  I encourage everyone to do it.