Hospital is so different than general practice. If GPs are angel, then surgeons are knife slashing butchers in blue scrubs. They don't talk to you unless it is absolutely life and death necessary, OR if they want you to pick up the pen from the floor OR if they need another walking shelves to carry their files. Lots of people asked me how it is like to be in a team doing ward rounds. Well, it depends on your team really, especially the first two 'heads', i.e. consultant and the senior registrar. My friend had a one on one session with her registrar and she had learned heaps. My registrar didn't even look at me when I greeted her! What a S.N.O.B! Meh! I don't expect much from consultant anyway since they are the VIP and time worth more than a million bucks to them but at least he asked me if I want anything to drink.
It is easy to spot hierarchy in the hospital during ward round. Consultant and registrar will always be at the front of the line, EMPTY HANDED and talking among themselves, occasionally they will include the house officer in their discussion. The house officer will be tailing behind them, frantically scribbling down the notes and orders. TI will be the house officer's best mate, helping him to answer the pager, occasionally helping up with the notes. Last and the least would be the fourth year student. Pretty much being ignored most of the time unless they need a hand for the files. Usually I will tag along with TI or house officer IF house officer happens to be free from paper work.
My house officer is cool in a sense that he gave me the permission to do hands on stuff if opportunity arises. BUT he never supervise me. My reg is hopeless! She regarded me as invisible even though I said hi to her. Is it really that difficult to share 5% of your knowledge to somebody who is keen to learn? Even consultants were students once before. Does it lower any of your status to talk to student? Well, it will be too late in the future to worry about the competency of your juniors when you were lying on the operating table, just because you decided not to teach your student back then how to hold a scalpel properly. ><
