General

(The young doctor is obviously surprised to hear the idea of a general physician.)

"Don't you know the category of general medicine has been removed from the list of medical specialty?" He asks.

"How could that be? I think you are a physician trainee?" The woman could not believe her ears.

"Yes, I am, but I have my own specialty training." The young doctor says solemnly.

"What is your specialty?" The woman asks reflectively.

"I am a trainee of consultative medicine - a specialty devoted to consult the others... I mean we are the experts who know which specialty to consult." The doctor replies - and his face does not turn red.

Instead, the woman's turns white.

PS. Don't laugh at the young doctor. For us working in a public hospital, we are often surprised to see the complicated medication list prescribed by private physicians (our jargon is polypharmacy). For example, they give a syrup for someone who has a cough, another tablet if the patient also complains of backache, and another capsule if there is also a toe swelling. Many of us are certainly more sophisticated; we consult a respiratory physician, an orthopedic surgeon, and a rheumatologist for the same three problems.