old shoes

Late night in the unit. My resident and I are finishing up an admission and hanging out with the night nurses. They're experienced critical care nurses. Somehow we get to dumb ways that interns behave with nurses. These conversations are common and I think it's because they serve a social function: by telling these stories the nurses are saying, "We know you're not that kind of doctor", and also, "You better not even think about becoming that kind of doctor" and also "If you do become that kind of doctor, you better know we're going to laugh about you and tell stories about you behind your back, including to your colleagues." The doctor end of this conversation is, "I really want to be buddies with the nurses" and "I promise I won't become that kind of doctor."

Anyway, the best punchline to one of these stories was from one of their colleagues, who reportedly said to an intern she wasn't happy with:

"Kid, I've got shoes that are older than you."