As a proctologist I understand the embarrassment associated with my profession. It is not easy for patients to talk about anorectal issues and it is up to the doctor to ease the situation.

Making light of a difficult subject with humor helps to lessen the discomfort patients feel when discussing such ailments. Humor also makes the doctor seem more “like a real person”.

Everyone who knows me understands that I deeply enjoy what I do and my sense of humor brings that forth. The humor is neither obnoxious nor quirky, it’s subtle. The patient’s ‘off the cuff’ remarks are quite humorous when placed in context. For example, a woman once came in with her spouse and stated, “I have a Pain in my butt” then innocently remarked, “Doctor, I’d like you to meet my husband.”

Easing anxiety & increasing awareness

Over the years I have created funny limericks and cartoons for marketing purposes. The limericks are included in my brochures and the cartoons are displayed on shaker cups and refrigerator magnets. On the “Cartoons” page is a cartoon of a proctologist doing a colonoscopy while a wife peeks in and asks a funny question. The punch line was one I heard many times. When the picture and puch line came together it created big smiles. Just about every new patient gets a shaker cup with this cartoon to take home. The limericks bring laughter especially for the patients taking the bowel preparation the day before a colonoscopy.

Medicine is more art than science. It doesn’t matter if a doctor’s IQ is off the charts. If a doctor can not communicate with patients in a way that they understand or in a way that makes them feel comfortable, than it is unlikely the patient will want to see that doctor again. This is not to say that my IQ is not off the charts (humor). My goal is to both ease the anxiety for those needing an evaluation and to share the humor with others to increase awareness of anorectal ailments and colon cancer screening.