I have previously pondered the subject of pimping in medical education.  As much as I may not like it, I recognize that it is a time honored tradition in medical education.  As such, I expect it, and even respect it just a bit (that is the masochist in me speaking).

However, lately I have experienced an aspect of pimping I could do without.  Let me set the stage.

I present a patient.  On trauma, many of our patients can be rather complex, as they often have injuries affecting multiple systems/organs.  Prior to (or just after) entering a patient's room, the attending physician asks a question.  Not an easy question.  Rather, a pretty tough one.  I think (brain running as fast as possible: the boss is expecting an answer 2 seconds ago), reason through the pathophysiology as fast as I can, and come up with a possible answer.

Of course, my answer is wrong.  So I start coming up with another possibility.  Wrong again.  Finally I have to concede.  "I'm sorry sir, I don't know."  And what does the attending say?

"I don't know either."

Gah, I just mini-stressed myself out, wracking my mind for an answer and the boss doesn't even have one.  Sometimes it gets better.  "I don't think there is a known answer to that question."  Well, at least it wasn't a defecit in my knowledge.  That is my little victory in the entire thing.  I suppose that should make me feel better.

But I hate to feel stupid in front of the whole team when there is no answer to the question I was just asked.