This article originally started as a Twitter thread but further reflection made me think that it necessitated a long form piece.
Not all professionals are created equal. There are shitty dentists out there. One of my friends was telling me a story about how they - as a dentist - are truly fucking scared about how many shitty dentists are out there.
The truth is that not all doctors are good doctors. You would think that the tough selection process for medical school, competing for residencies and fellowships would churn out only the best of professionals, right?
You would be wrong.
Like everything, there is a spectrum. So what makes one good? And how do we find them?
We seem comfortable searching for the best car mechanics. And tradespeople. But not doctors. Why is that? Because of the money they spent to get into school? Because of the societal ranking that my health is more important than my home? Because they were able to pass a test?
I spend a lot of fucking time in my home. I hope to hell that my electrician wired it correctly and it doesn’t burn down with me in it. Motor vehicle traffic accidents are the leading cause of death in the US. And I’m combing through Yelp & Google reviews make sure that the people responsible for both of those are vetted. And that they’re good. Shouldn’t we put in that minimum level of effort for the people advising on your health?
I’m not saying that your doctor is shit. I am saying is that just because they graduated from medical school doesn’t make them good.
So let's stop treating it that way.
EDUCATION DOES NOT EQUAL COMPETENCY
Just because someone invested $100k+ in their education doesn’t mean that they are capable of solving all your problems.
A reliance on a couple of letters after their name - whether it be MD, MBA, CPA - does not excuse you from forgoing the vetting process. A degree in the field that you’re looking to hire is no guarantee that the person can do the job you are looking for them to do.
That’s because a graduation certificate is only one piece of the puzzle. It’s the bare minimum. To be good you need experience. To be great you need experience, awareness and continuous learning.
1/ Experience. Great professionals need to recognize and respond to a variety of real world situations. That can’t be taught in class. It can’t be taught with case studies. Or in the lab. Or with cadavres. The nuances are too great. It’s learned through reps in the real world.
2/ Awareness. Great professionals are aware. They’re aware of what their clients value. And the best way to communicate with them to get them the result they need. They’re aware of the best point of leverage where they can help. And they're aware of their own blind spots and where their expertise ends.
3/ Continuous Learning. 20 years of experience doesn’t mean that you’re up to date with the last 20 years of science in your field. There’s a difference between the people who have 20 years of experience and those who have the same year of experience repeated 20 times. . The best doctors keep abreast of change. When the science validates new protocols on peanut allergies in kids, you best hope your paediatrician isn’t stubbornly old school.
HOW TO DO THE CHOOSING
So, there are good doctors. And there are bad doctors. Great. Super helpful Christian. Now how do we tell the difference?
Anonymous customer reviews on something like RateMyMD.com? It’s tough to trust without someone’s name attached. Patient Referrals? Previous patients/customers can attest to the customer service. But what about the actual science of their work?
Unless they studied oncology and have years of experience in the field, how can they validate that they outcome is due to skill versus a lucky variance? They can’t. They can only speak for outcome, not the process.
The gold standard is a doctor referral. People who are known in their industry as leaders. People who are respected by their peers. People who tho fellow doctors would trust with their own health if they had to go under the knife. To find the best professionals (marketers, doctors, lawyers, personal trainers, barbers) - find the people whose peers recommended them.
It’s easiest when you’re moving to a new city - just ask your trusted professionals from your current city who they would recommend. Who should I talk to if I need a GP in New York? Where do you get your hair cut in Vancouver? Can you recommend a personal trainer in Toronto?
CONCLUSION
Look, when it doesn’t matter you can choose someone who is “good enough”. I don’t really care that much about my dental hygienist. Or the person who is going to clean my car. It just needs to get the job done and be convenient. But for the important shit, you need to vet. When it’s a big investment or an important aspect of your life - like your health - put in the work. That 30 minutes of pre-work will save you headaches on the back end. Because you’ll be working with a true professional who is great in their field. Not just somebody with a framed degree on the wall.
And if you want to be recognized as the best, gain the respect of your peers and your industry. Gain experience. Build awareness. And keep learning. Take care of your reviews and feedback so that people come to you with the confidence that you’re the best at what you do.
- Christian