Pimping

My current attending loves to pimp, and he's good at it, and I know most people would hate that, but I loved it. It was fantastic fun. it's so refreshing to be put on the hot seat again. I'm asked questions by other attendings, but it's more collegeal than instructional. Should we increase fluids? Did you check a TSH? It's nice to get something more basic. What's the most common peripheral neuropathy? What's the sensory innervation of the thumb? What are all the diagnostic criteria for type 2 diabetes?

Believe it or not, there is an art to pimping and an art to being pimped. And there are attendings where your admission of ignorance is welcomed, and others where it is an invitation to disaster.

Personally, I really enjoy being pimped by the right folks, because when done well, it feels more like a conversation than education, and I'm sure Socrates would be smiling up in Heaven, if not for all that hemlock business and not believing in God and all.

For your benefit, here is a treatice on the art of pimping, published in JAMA.