Answers for christine!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for the support in the too technical post. I appreciate it. I

think too that this professor was compensating for something

that he thought he lacked. Maybe he was a little offended that I

was able to simplify concepts that he thought belonged to the

" intellectuals " and not to the " common " people. Some people

believe that the " knowledge is power " concept means that only

those who dispenses knowledge deserve to have the power to

do so and by giving it away too freely some how diminshes his

own personal power position. Which is completely opposite of

what I think " which is, the more knowledge that is shared, the

more powerful the individual as well as society as a how

becomes.

Now to answer you questions: I was taking grad classes in

immunology. My undergrad major is Life Sciences - which is

biology with an emphasis on human health and disease. I have

very superficially considered on-line courses but I guess to

some degree I am a snob when it comes to that.....I just cannot

see how a person can get a graduate degree online and have it

seen as rigourous as those that are earned " on-site " . I mean, it

is not like you can do lab work in your kitchen (well, I guess we

have all tried that at one time or another! LOL). I have a friend

who earned a masters in geology from an on-line college and

this was earned with only a three day " field experience " course. I

find it hard to take his degree seriously....not the book

learning...that I am sure is as good as any you get sitting in a

classroom....but I cannot help but think the field

experience...which is the most important part of being able to do

your job....is very superficial and lacks real learning.

I call myself goutbuster as a joke in a way. It took off from the

days when the movie " ghostbusters " was the big thing. It was a

play on words that my boss and I did one day and it seemed to

be appropriate (I help diagnose gout in patients so they can be

appropriately treated - hence the buster part of gout).

You didn't offend me, but I have to admit that you struck a nerve

and caused me to do some deep thinking over the weekend. I

realize that this may be one of my reasons why I have a hard

time with doctors and clinics....the fact that I am treated in a very

patronizing way.....with phrases, words and concepts being

advanced that are very simplistic and really gives me no new or

useful information. I can understand from a nursing point of view

that you need to be able to educate patients using vocabulary

that is geared to the eight (?) grade level.....but I wish there was a

way for doctors and nurses to gain an appreciation for the

individual patient that they are dealing with and change their

approach accordingly. The only doctor that I have seen as a

patient that is able and willing to do this is my pain doc. She

readily acknowledges that when it comes to pancreas issues, I

am pretty well informed.

Thanks again for your response. I really admire your ability to go

through a rigourous course of study to obtain your nursing

degree....especially while you were caring for very small

children!!!!! You are an inspiration.

Laurie