I had one of those fun attending feedback sessions after finishing by OB rotation last week. The attending in question is blond and female. She stands about 5'1" and can't weigh more than one hundred pounds. She has a name but, in my mind, she will always be known as Dr. Pixie.
DR. PIXIE: So, in general, you did a pretty good job. You certainly met expectations. But, given that you had a year of OBGYN before switching to family practice, I would have liked to see you exceed expectations.
JAMES: So, I met your expectations?
DR. PIXIE: Yes.
JAMES: But, I didn't exceed them.
DR. PIXIE: Correct.
JAMES: You expected me to exceed them?
DR. PIXIE: I did, yes.
JAMES: Then, I didn't meet your expectations.
DR. PIXIE: No, you did. You just didn't exceed them.
JAMES: But, cited among the things you expected of me was that I would exceed you expectations. I did not. Therefore, I did not meet your expectations. Please, allow me to demonstrate.
A = I met your expectations of me
B = I exceeded your expectations
P = I should pass this rotation
We agree that, if I do not meet your expectations, then I should not pass the rotation. Hence we have: If not A then not P.
You have told me that you expected me to exceed your expectations of me. Hence: if not B then not A is also a true statement. From this we can derive:
~A -> ~P
~B -> ~A
~B
------------------
~A by modus ponens
~P mp
~P - in words, the statement, "I should pass this rotation," is false.
DR. PIXIE: I can't argue with you. You'll have to repeat your OBGYN rotation.
JAMES: Ok. But for next time, do you think you could lower your expectations a little?
3 Comments
Hee...are you r e a l l y sure you want that repeat??? :) i loved your logic, though.
Good grief. That is not entirely fair. Interns don't always get to do the OBGYN work as much as paperwork and scutwork anyway (in Australia anyways). So are you really going to repeat it? Or have you done enough OBGYN to last your lifetime.
I think Dante's seventh circle of hell was a neverending OB internship.