
18. It doesn’t matter who does certain treatments; it’s all the same.
“I’m a Physicians’s Assistant, not a GP, but I think the situations are fairly comparable here. For most preventative things like checking my blood pressure, my weight, or getting a mammogram, there’s absolutely no difference between my experience and the average pt. For any kind of vaccination, test, or giving blood. Again no difference. The biggest oddity is that when I’m sick, I consciously try to come in with symptoms rather than a diagnosis or any kind of treatment. As in rather than saying, “I have an ear infection, can I get a z-pack” or even telling them what I suspect, I’ll just describe my symptoms and let them take a look and come to the same conclusion themselves.”
“Thus far, I’ve never had any reason to contradict any diagnosis I’ve gotten, but I have at times asked for a different medication than what they suggest. Often that’s just down to personal preference, though.” PA_PA is talking about a great approach in how they handle their medical care. Instead of saying what they think the diagnosis is, it’s better to see what the other doctor comes up with themselves from their point of view. You can always say what you prefer later or if you think it could be something else!