# Re the paging of QtM, I'm beginning to understand why doctors dread cocktail parties
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [November 6, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364 "2004-11-06T17:57:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/1 "2004-11-06T17:57:55Z")
QtM is an able, polite and extremely helpful and patient member of the the SDMB and is most assuredly brave, thrifty and mostly reverent besides, but he’s not on staff as the SDMB doctor or substitute for your personal physician.
I can’t imagine anything more annoying than these targeted shoutouts that seem to be cropping up demanding his personal attention. I never really understood why doctors avoid some social get togethers, but I’m beginning to.
Post a medical or other problem,l and if he wants to respond let him, but for God’s sake stop “paging” him personally in the message header. It’s rude and intrusive.
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### Author:  [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/2 "2004-11-06T18:21:28Z")
But what if I have a really bad paper cut?!
I might get a staph infection and die! OR I might be temped to use it for other nepherous deeds like botching a urine culture.
Seriously I am pretty bad about asking things like “hey, is my whatever supposed to be doing this?”, but I don’t recall ever asking anyone directly. I’m basically just looking for peoples thoughts and Ideas on how they dealt with it not specific diagnosis.
I do think it has something to do with the fact that he is the more apt poster to answer such questions, so people just got comfortable with asking him directly.
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### Author:  [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/3 "2004-11-06T18:28:24Z")
Has he ever complained? It’s just as plausible that he would find it flattering. And besides, he’s certainly never showed any reluctance to just say, “Go get diagnosed in an actual office instead of listening to what I tell you.”
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### Author:  [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/4 "2004-11-06T18:53:06Z")
> [@Kricket](#):
>
> but I don’t recall ever asking anyone directly.
Then the OP isn’t about you.
And I am in complete sympathy with the OP. It puts QtM in a very awkward position.
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### Author:  [@Kricket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kricket)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/5 "2004-11-06T19:12:34Z")
I didn’t think it was about me fruitbat.
I was just saying as far as I recall I don’t remember asking anyone directly by name for advice.
I did not however say that “I have never asked him directly for advice, so it wasn’t me” or “I didn’t do it”.
I am 32, please to not talk to me like a child.
I felt throughly dismissed. That if the OP wasn’t in direct reference to me then I shouldn’t have answered.
Alright, everybody out of the pool! This thread is closed to only those that Astro is making direct reference to. If you are not on the list you have to go. Please go directly to the exit and do not pass go. Hurry now, anything left behind they will be sure to get it back to you in a timely manner. This is not a drill folks, move it now!
If the OP wanted only those specific to what he was saying then he should have listed names or sites.
Since they didn’t I just figured it was okay for me to toss in some kind of response. That is part of what I paid fees here for isn’t it?
And if that is the case, then there isn’t much reason for a message board is there?
I guess I should have added that I try not to ask by name so they don’t feel like they are on the spot in a place where they are trying to enjoy themselves, fight the ignorant, or learn.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/6 "2004-11-06T20:05:13Z")
It seems to me that, unlike cornering him at a cocktail party and showing him your moles, it’s pretty easy for him to avoid those threads if he’s so inclined. All he has to do is not post to it. I don’t usually read those threads, but I imagine that he gets called on so often because he doesn’t mind replying to them. In theory, one of the reasons for participating on this board is to offer your expertise in what ever field(s) you feel qualified to speak on. In that, it’s not really any different than giving **Eve** a shout in a thread about old movie stars, or **Fenris** in a thread about comic books.
I do wonder if any of the other doctors on the SDMB are jealous of the attention he gets, though. 😃
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### Author:  [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/7 "2004-11-06T20:25:45Z")
Can we still page QtM to Tolkien threads?
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### Author:  [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/8 "2004-11-06T20:31:20Z")
I agree with the OP. Unless **Qadgop** comes in here and specifically says that he has no problem with people starting threads to ask him for medical advice, I think we as a group should avoid directing questions at him specifically. It’s one thing to start a thread saying “medical information needed”, or “calling all SDMB doctors”, it’s another to call him out by name. Sure, he can avoid the threads, but then it’s obvious he _chose_ not to help in that situation. Personally, it would make me uncomfortable to have someone ask me specifically for help and not give it, even if I wasn’t in the mood to do so.
He’s coming here in his free time, and while he has always been incredibly generous with his knowledge and advice, I think we as a community should be careful never to treat him like a service. (This is not to say anyone is doing so, but I’d rather we err on the side of caution.)
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### Author:  [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/9 "2004-11-06T20:36:12Z")
I just keep waiting for him to adopt **Dr.J** ’s stock response when I whine about something hurting…“You oughta go see a doctor about that.”
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/10 "2004-11-06T20:48:14Z")
Mal: Look, if I wanted a lot of medical jargon, I’d talk to a doctor.
Simon: You _are_ talking to a doctor.
Mal: … Point taken.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/11 "2004-11-06T21:05:33Z")
For the record, I don’t mind being paged for questions about hummingbirds.
But please don’t ask me to diagnose your sick parakeet. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/12 "2004-11-06T21:26:16Z")
> [@Colibri](#):
>
> For the record, I don’t mind being paged for questions about hummingbirds.
For the record, every time I see your name, I wonder if you’re going to tell us more about turtles breathing through their butts. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Kel\_Varnsen\_Latex\_Division](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kel_Varnsen_Latex_Division)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/13 "2004-11-06T22:18:30Z")
> [@Colibri](#):
>
> For the record, I don’t mind being paged for questions about hummingbirds.
>
> But please don’t ask me to diagnose your sick parakeet. 🙂
I have a question or two about Hummingbirds.
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5463536#post5463536](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5463536#post5463536)
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/14 "2004-11-06T22:31:23Z")
I don’t mind. Just skip the **Paging Qadgop Stat** schtick.
And please phrase it as a general solicitation, like
> [@](#):
>
> gee, perhaps one of our able SDMB physicians, like **KarlGauss** or \*\* Qadgop\*\* or **Dr. J** will pop in to contribute.
or
> [@](#):
>
> Egads, a Tolkien thread! You just know **JayJay** or **Qadgop** or one of the other Tolkien Uber-Geeks will be here soon
(Frankly, I respond quicker to Tolkien Threads than anything else here!)
And despite my using _QtM, MD_ frequently at the end of my post (which I usually do only when wearing my **Listen to Me, I am Authority!** hat), don’t expect me to find your post if it just says _QtM_ in it. It’s not searchable, being only 3 letters. When I’m moved to do a vanity search, it’s generally for “Qadgop”.
Besides, I do a vanity search maybe once a week lately. I must be getting less insecure and narcissistic as I get older (and more tired).
If I see a thread where I think I’ve got both the time and something useful to contribute, I will. It’s fun to edumacate people, and it’s fun to show off how smart I am! 😃 :eek: But I’m not the only, or the best doper doc here. My hat’s off to **KarlGauss** as one of the board’s finest keen medical intellects. **Dr. J** will be an able attending soon (assuming residency doesn’t kill him), and **DSeid** has forgotten more pediatrics than I ever knew.
If you want me specifically (to respond to some specific thing I said before), that’s different. And if you really want to get in touch with me, I do list my email addy here. I check it irregularly, so if you’re having crushing chest pain, plan on waiting up to a week before I read about it there.
And as Eeyore said: “Thanks for noticing me”! I do love it at SDMB, and enjoy the little niche I’ve established here. But when I’m here, I’m a doper before I’m a doctor. At least I ought to be. Most of the time.
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/15 "2004-11-06T22:38:07Z")
_pokes head in_
**Qadgop** ’s the coolest!
_corners him for a smooch and runs out_
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/16 "2004-11-06T22:44:02Z")
> [@Kythereia](#):
>
> _pokes head in_
>
> **Qadgop** ’s the coolest!
>
> _corners him for a smooch and runs out_
Hey! Hey, come back here!
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/17 "2004-11-06T22:46:51Z")
You called? _pokes head back in_
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/18 "2004-11-06T22:53:26Z")
> [@Kythereia](#):
>
> You called? _pokes head back in_
Hi, um, [sub]she came back. They usually don’t do that. What should I do now?[/sub] And how many times have you read “Lord of the Rings”?
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### Author:  [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/19 "2004-11-06T23:00:17Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#):
>
> Hi, um, [sub]she came back. They usually don’t do that. What should I do now?[/sub] And how many times have you read “Lord of the Rings”?
An incident similar to this is how I became so good at baseball.
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [November 6, 2004, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-the-paging-of-qtm-im-beginning-to-understand-why-doctors-dread-cocktail-parties/273364/20 "2004-11-06T23:08:58Z")
> [@Qadgop the Mercotan](#):
>
> Hi, um, [sub]she came back. They usually don’t do that. What should I do now?[/sub] And how many times have you read “Lord of the Rings”?
Far, far too many. 😉 Have I mentioned I’ve got _The Hobbit_ and _The Silmarillion_ as well?
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