Not that sort of doctor!

So apart from people often requiring a lot of persuasion to believe that I am, in fact, alas, a doctor, sometimes (often?!) people knowing you're a doctor can definitely be a bad thing...

I am trying to carve some kind of cross-clinical-research type career, and today spent some time on my academic day discussing my project from my research job next year with the guys from the lab. In a lab, a clinical doctor is apparently a bit of a novelty, but I found myself saying 'well, yes, I'm a doctor.... but not that sort of doctor!' - meaning I may have MBBS after my name, but definitely not PhD!

Because in the pure science world, I am even MORE of a baby in terms of knowing what I'm doing than in the medical world.

Lots of words were said that I didn't understand. I tried to keep up in the lab meeting with the different techniques and arrays being used.  In my defence I later went briefly up to the clinical ward where I work day to day and was trying to describe one of the microarrays to one of my medical doctor colleagues, who sighed as he left the office saying 'well, you just go home and enjoy your microwaves, or whatever it is you're doing'....

I know I'm studying translational medicine and all, but it really is like learning another language. It is actually quite a tough balancing act expressing your genuine interest for what is being discussed whilst only having a bit of a clue what it all means, and also accepting that the person talking to you is probably thinking 'what a wally'!

Hence - an evening of reading awaits!!