"Doctor I Think You Missed Something?"

Years ago, when I was just coming off a promising career as a sales manager in business to business sales, I did a ride along with a sales rep for a surgical company.  In fact, I did several ride alongs but I remember this one distinctly because of the humorous exchange between the doctor and the rep.  Mind you, this was my first foray into the surgical field, and specifically the operating room, so I was very impressionable and this operation definitely had an effect on me.  And what I learned is that in some cases, the sales rep seems to know more about the surgical procedure than the doctor.

It was a simple laprascopic surgery but the rep was promoting a new product which the doctor had never used before. The sales rep prepared me for the surgery with a minor pep talk.

"Okay, don't let all the blood and guts bother you.  It's nothing, but also be ready cause this is an older doc and he's not used to using these newer products."
" How old could he be?  And if he's that old why is he still doing surgery?"
" He graduated with Jonas Salk that's how old he is, and I have no friggin idea why people are still letting him operate on them. He shakes a lot, but oddly it's his body that shakes, not his hands. "
" You're not serious about the Jonas Salk thing are you?  Isn't that the guy that discovered the polio vaccine."
" Yes and yes."
" Holy shit.  That's scary."
" Wait'll you see this guy.  He has not aged well, and by not aged well I mean he could actual be dead but he doesn't know it."
" Great! I'm looking forward to this.  The crypt keeper will be performing surgery today."
" He looks a little better than that.  Not much, but just a little."

    As we prepped for the surgery, the doctor came in and the rep was correct, he had not aged well, but there was no way he had been through med school with Jonas Salk.  He was bent over, and moved fairly slowly, but his hands seemed steady and he was in good spirits.  He seemed like a nice old man, but not someone I would like to have performing surgery on me.  More like someone I would like to see getting ice cream with his grand children rather than performing surgery on one of my relatives. Unless of course it was a relative I wasn't terribly fond of, then I would encourage him to be that person's surgeon.

   Sadly, the surgery took a lot longer than both the rep and I had anticipated.  The reason was that the doctor was old, but extremely thorough, and had so many questions that it seemed the surgery would never be completed.  Maybe he was thorough or maybe he suffered from what I would call "Operational Alzheimer's".  An affliction which older docs have, where they can't remember anything and ask the nurses and reps what's the next step in the procedure.  In fact, it was taking so long,  I was concerned that I might actually die of boredom, despite this being one of my earliest experiences in the OR. Initially I was excited to be observing a surgery, but 3 hours into the procedure,  and I was dying to check my text messages or even look at my phone.  As my mind wandered between old episodes of "Seinfeld" and who the Lakers were playing that night, the doctor moved very deliberately and very, very, slowly, always double checking his work.  He was thorough which is a great quality for a surgeon to have, and as the procedure was coming to a close, the doctor seemed very please with the results.

"I like this product.  It makes it easier to grab things. Much better than the one I was using.  Okay let's wrap this up."
" Doctor, I think you missed something?", the rep said trying to be polite.  He was referring to a tissue retrieval bag that was still inside the patient.
" Oh! Thank you.", the doctor said, and then started doing something else and completely ignored the bag.
"No doctor.  Look. The retrieval bag is still inside the patient.  You should probably remove that before you finish up.", the rep said politely.
" Oh yeah. I always forget one thing or another. One time I left a kitten inside of a patient. The patient complained of a purring sound coming from her stomach for weeks." he said with a completely deadpan delivery.  The sales rep and I just looked at each other, and then the doctor started laughing.
" You don't really think I'm that absent minded do you?" he asked.
" No. Not at all.", the rep said and then chuckled a bit awkwardly, still unsure if the story was true.
" The older you get son, the more you'll count on young people like yourself to help. I appreciate you coming in and guiding me through today.  With all the the new things coming out, it's hard to keep up."
" My pleasure doc. Anything to help out, and thanks for having me.", he answered.
" Well let's finish up.  Where are my damn glasses.", the doctor asked one of the nurses.
" On top of your head doctor.", she answered.
He laughed, "Thanks.  Don't know what I'd do without you Mindy."
" It's Sandy doctor, and frankly I don't either.", she replied.

Sad but true.

Be a resource to your customers, some of them need you more than others.  Have a good day selling!

-M