Shouldn't You Know That?

One unintended consequence of medical school (and becoming a doctor) is now apparent--everyone assumes you should know everything there is to know about the human body. Hell, I've only read biochemistry for an online class and I had to defend my right not to know an answer to a question from my roommate:

Roommate: Why are you supposed to work out in the morning?
Me (bullshitting): Hmm. Maybe because your glycogen levels are high in the early morning, so your body will be forced to use its fat reserves first?
Roommate: Really? Because I would think that...
Me: Okay, okay, I have no idea.
Roommate: Shouldn't you know that? Aren't you gonna be a doctor?
Me: I don't know! I'm not a dietician!

But I'm guilty of it, too. I've said the exact same thing to my dad (a psychiatrist) on numerous occasions.

Me (pubescent teenager): Dad, why does it hurt when I go like this?
Dad: I don't know. Don't go like that.
Me (scathing, bratty, "God, my parents are so dumb"): Shouldn't you know that? Aren't you a doctor?

So now the tables are turned. But the thing is, I kinda feel like, "Yeah, I should know that," although I don't understand things well enough yet to integrate all my knowledge. I mean, yeah, I guess I'm supposed to know everything, but... everything? That's... kind of a lot.

Comments

[Muta Ceva]

Hey, I am with you.

Data, information, knowledge, skill, wisdom...what is what?

I think in med school you are learning skills more than anything else.

I have collected some quotes about some of this at
http://171.66.153.74/archives/cat_06_quotes.html

What do you think?