Meeting your doctor outside of his or her office/exam room

I ran into my GP once in a local coffee house. It was a few weeks after I had seen him for my annual physical. I was sitting having breakfast and didn't see him until he came up to me and jokingly told me to watch my cholesterol because I was eating quiche. He was with his wife but didn't stop to talk, he wished me a nice day and walked out. I was totally fine with what happened.

My wife and I have run into our primary care doc to the grocery store, and often see him with his family at church. We run into our chiropractor about once a month at Sam's Club. Occasionally see our dentist at arts events and have seen him at lunch (eating not healthy stuff). Hardly ever see our cardiologist or ophthalmologist around town.

In the past, living in large metro areas, we never ran across any of our docs.

I have a knack for running into my GP at the movie theater. It's happened on at least three occasions, I swear. He's often with his wife or daughters, and every time we see each other it's usually just a quick hello.

Well I had the opposite. My first exam from my current doctor, he said he recognized me from the gym. Interesting. He's gay ... and the gym at the time was rather cruisy (it's since closed). I didn't recognize him ... though he's definitely attractive.

I used to go on pub crawls with a group that included my Doctor. Usually we went on week ends and had lots of fun as a group. Doctors are very normal individuals outside the office and they enjoy the time off. I did get to share many conversations when he did tell details from within the medical field. The public is very naïve to so much that goes on. Glad I had this learning experience.

I only ran into my doctor in a public setting once. My auto dealership gives weekly free car washes and I typically go on Friday afternoon. One time, she was also there having her car washed. She did recognize me and even remembered my first name. The conversation was restricted to discussion of our car models and there was no awkwardness at all.

My old family GP was a family friend of my grandmother's so we have known him our entire life. There has never been awkwardness meeting him outside of his practice. In fact both him and his wife have always said hello and willing spoke to us wherever we met. He always ask us about other family members and how are they keeping and about school, family life etc.

Sadly he retired and passed away a few years ago. He was a great doctor, that was an excellent clinician but still made the time to talk to you. Not like the GP's we have, where its all about the numbers of patient that they can see. I think its only 10-15 mins that allocated.

I hate running into patients outside the office because I am bad about remembering names. Very embarrassing when the patient knows my name, but I can't remember their name.

I am habitual to this. My doctors are mostly people who did their residency with my dad or with my grandad!

I see them all the time ,either during those boring luncheons or "doctors family meet*

Two years During a doctors family meet ,we all were having lunch and I was sitting next to My GYN and in front of me on the opposite side of tHe table was the doctor who was my long time pediatrician till 16 years!

My peridontist was also there (the guy i dread the most lmao)

He gave me a big smile and I waited few seconds to smile back making sure my teeth were clean because i smile like this 😁

I smiled and made sure not run to our ophtalmologist because I often think that if I greet him He will poke his finger in my eye..... 😢

~Cookie

I see my doctor outside of the pt setting but he is still in his role as doctor. So he may come to the hospital to see a patient and I am the nurse taking care of the pt. He knows my name because I've seen him for years, but I don't expect that he recalls many other specifics about me. If he does, that's fine, but honestly, when you see hundreds of patients they all run together.

Spankingmaster,

Be grateful there wasn't a proctologist sitting on the other side of you. If they decided to get together, that would have made for one hell of an exam! LOL

My GP is a good friend of my parents and I find extremely embarrassing meeting him at a dinner at my parents' place. I cannot avoid thinking that he saw me undressed and I feel very nervous all the time

I was a social worker in hospital. And every time I was in ER or the or waiting area as a customer (in gown, pre opted, on gurney) it seemed everyone knew me and stopped to say hello, fortunately there was no discussion about my circumstances. In the or I was waiting for cysto under anesthetic in ER they were treat a swelling in my face. Angiodema is not really an allergy but my mouth was swollen far enough to scare hell out me

I would never think of trading my relationship with docs, nurses and everybody else for more privacy

spankingmaster,

Be grateful there wasn't a proctologist sitting on the other side of you. If they decided to get together, that would have made for one hell of an exam! LOL

Fortunate that At present I dont have any procto.

If I had ,i would have bent over the dining table 😉

I suspect a fair number of people see their doctor outside of the medical setting.. and very few are embarrassed or concerned about it. I'm sure the medical professional himself or herself, makes no comment. What is between the doctor and the patient.. stays private.

I see my GP on a fairly regular basis, which doesn't bother me at all. I haven't run into my gynecologist yet, which is good, because I don't know if I'll be as casual about that. I did used to run into my therapist, which did embarrass me more than I thought it would. But he knew all of my secrets...so I guess that made more sense.

When I was in practice in a suburb of Sacramento I never went to the local grocery store (which wasn't far from my office) I almost always ran into a patient or two. I always said "hi" and occasionally chatted a bit if they wanted to. There was never a sense of a problem, to me anyway.

I was once at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk when I saw a patient's mother. She exclaimed in the loudest voice " that's the doctor who saved my sons life." I was so appalled that I ran away.

Liquidsky, seriously, you were appalled? I'm surprised and feel a bit sad for you. I'm not trying to be condescending here so please forgive if I come across that way. You went to school for over a decade, you spent well over a hundred thousand, and you worked hard to earn your professional license. You should be proud of yourself and what and all that you have accomplished. You became a doctor to save lives. The woman was obviously greatly appreciative of the skills you have and the effort you put into saving her baby boy's life. He may have been just a patient to you, but he was her son. And they say that there is no greater love than that of a love of a mother for her child. Also remember, our children are always our children no matter how old we both grow.

She was trying to thank you, she wanted everyone around her to know that you are a life saver, a good doctor and a good person. You were her hero, the one that saved her child. The correct thing for you to have done would have been to acknowledge her, greet her with a smile and a wave. Running away sent her a message that will stay with her forever. You probably highly embarrassed her. She felt a connection to you because of what you did for her and her family. She felt special because her family was given a second chance, a second chance that they may not have been given had it not been for you. Acknowledging her would have justified her feelings, her emotions, and given her a final since of closure which is probably the most important thing. Had you done so she would have been able to close that chapter in her life for good. You did a good job and she publicly acknowledged you and said thank you. You running means that she will be unsettled, unsatisfied, and will be left wondering why you ran for the rest of her life. She can't understand why you would not be comfortable being publicly announced as a hero.

I know it's embarrassing and I know that we don't become medical professionals for the praise, but very seldom do we ever get thanked for what we do, for how hard we work, for the differences we make. So when someone takes the time and effort to do so, the very least you can do is be gracious about it.

Mashie

Relax Mashie I am nothing if not polite. My mama always taught me to have good manners. I thanked her and beat a hasty retreat. I was just embarrassed at having my anonymity broken. My 12 year old son was embarrassed too. I was flattered but uncomfortable with her enthusiasm. It attracted a small crowd.

Liquidsky, thanks for the clarification. To be honest with you I guess I was in shock that you would have reacted as you had stated. I am very glad that you thanked her. That makes me smile. Thanks for that. I know it's embarrassing sometimes, but it's one of the good parts of our job. See I knew you were a good guy, I think that's why I was so shocked, lol.

Mashie

Liquidsky, you couldn't have had better advertizing!

Too true, Susie, but as an emergency doc I don't need anymore patients. I have more than enough already!

I've seen two of my former GPs on public transport.

The first one recognised me, said hello, I returned the greeting and that was it. The second one didn't recognise me and I didn't engage her in conversation.

I ran into my Ob-Gyn in an elevator in Las Vegas. He didn't recognize me because I had my clothes on!

Both my F.P. and I are huge Jimmy Buffett fans. I was at a concert and there he was in shorts a baseball jersey and real drunk. He was certainly enjoying his weekend off. He's even gotten me tickets to sold out Buffett concerts. He's a real good guy and a friend.

I've met two of my GPs at a dance class and I also bumped into my GP at the pool, in the change rooms. It was fine.

In my subdivision of a little over 30 homes, we have a dermatologist, a chiropractor,an anesthesiologist, and a pharmacist. Had a dentist but she moved about a year ago. I think there are one or two more that I'm not familiar with.

I saw mine while shopping! It's not awkward! We are all normal people.

See my internist at the gym both in the locker room and exercise studio. We engage in social conversation catching up on each other's personal lives. He has 4 kids so there is always something entertaining happening with them.