Medicine spinoff?

May 6, 2016 3:03 PM

One of today's Ask posts--and the recent no-username-at-meetups discussion here!!--prompted me to ask: Are any of the various medical students, physicians, etc. interested in forming a Google group or similar?

I am an older medical student going into my third year.

Feel free to close this if it isn't the right forum. Thanks!

posted by 8603 to MetaFilter-Related at 3:03 PM (21 comments total)

Aim higher, Start your own practice! MefiMed: We'll Be There After You Eat It.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:18 PM on May 6, 2016 [27 favorites]

I didn't know there were any doctors here!
posted by thelonius at 5:16 PM on May 6, 2016

Nobody has ever matched the angsty prolixity of the late departed ikkyu2, but there are a few of us lurking about. I very occasionally answer AskMe health questions if I have something useful to say.
posted by killdevil at 5:26 PM on May 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm a nursing student graduating terrifyingly soon; do I count?
posted by ActionPopulated at 6:33 PM on May 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'm totally winning public health at uni. Again. Can I play epidemiology with the big kids?
posted by taff at 2:01 AM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

I remember that ikkyu2 was very worried about giving poor information and setting himself up for accusations of misinformation or even malpractice (iirc, he's a brain surgeon?). I don't know how these things actually work, but I can understand his concern about being seen as an authority on medical advice. Think of being a web dev and trying to help your family member with their windows machine. You can't help but say, ok just try this. Then their computer drowns in viruses and popups. It's not really your fault but you still feel kind of guilty...
posted by bendy at 2:57 AM on May 7, 2016

I started adding self-identified med students and doctors as contacts so I can follow what's going on in the Mefi-medisphere. I definitely don't have everyone though (and not all my contacts are health professionals either).
posted by bobobox at 4:29 AM on May 7, 2016

I very occasionally answer AskMe health questions if I have something useful to say.

Having something useful to say has never stopped the rest of us.

There are several emergency room physicians that will, at times, when they have something useful to say, chime in on Ask.
posted by AugustWest at 7:54 AM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'd be up for it! I'd suggest Slack rather than a google group, though.
posted by ocherdraco at 2:20 PM on May 7, 2016

There's a few of us old timer docs still around. TedW and docpops come to mind. ikkyu2 burned out because he was always giving medical advice but then would go totally aggro when people would give non-medical, in some cases dangerous, advice about fairly serious stuff. He was (is) a neurologist. I like being considered an Internet anarchist punk weirdo before being a doctor, but I'll put the white coat on if the thread calls for it and I'm in the mood for the aggravation.

I'd consider joining a group of Mefi doctors, although im like days away from giving up medicine entirely. Not to discourage any of you idealistic young medical students. But it's literally the worst possible thing you could do with your life.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 5:21 PM on May 7, 2016 [3 favorites]

hi ActionPopulated, I'm a nurse and I say you count!
posted by shiny blue object at 5:26 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]

Another nurse/MeFite here!
posted by RainyJay at 9:58 PM on May 7, 2016

I'm an epidemiologist but not a physician. I trained as a nurse but my license is lapsed and I was never licensed to practice in Oz, where I live now.
posted by gingerest at 5:26 AM on May 8, 2016

I am already overextended on social media so I probably wouldn't be up for a group.
posted by gingerest at 5:27 AM on May 8, 2016

Surgeon here. I'd be up for joining a group.
posted by n. moon at 7:34 AM on May 9, 2016

Bioethicists? or are we getting too far away from the original intent?
posted by Sophie1 at 8:02 AM on May 9, 2016

I'd be interested (also a surgeon). I second ocherdraco's suggestion of Slack.
posted by maryrussell at 10:05 AM on May 9, 2016

I'm a hospice nurse so my relationship with a lot of physicians IRL can be strained but, hey why not?
posted by yodelingisfun at 1:27 PM on May 10, 2016

I'd be interested, just finished with medical school.
posted by quercus23 at 5:15 PM on May 10, 2016

Older medical student checking in! I would love to connect with you all, especially the surgeons because my understanding has been that when I become a surgeon I will have to surrender all of my hobbies at the door.
posted by telegraph at 6:47 PM on May 10, 2016

Midwife and NP here. I also sometimes chime in if I think it might be helpful.
posted by stillmoving at 4:24 PM on May 11, 2016