As someone who works with MD's I can tell you they are only people. Many patients look up to them as if they were some kind of diety. People expect them to be able to figure out and fix everything. Many of them get caught up in the illusion of superiority. They go on beliving they are the most important person in their world and everyone should submit to their luster. They can make you wait for an hour and then see you for 5 minutes when you have a half an hours worth of questions.

On the other hand there are a lot of very brillant caring regular people who practice medicine. They actually have good manners and treat patients as fellow people. You have to wonder how some of them could go to school until age 30, raise a family and still have time to enjoy the finer things in life.

You could make a comparison to professional musicians. Some of them simply fell in to a good situation and become self absorbed with success and feel no obligation to thier fans. Others are honest hard working artist who connect with their audience and treat their admirees with the respect that the people who support them deserve. The analogy could be applied to many professions. If you don't like the way your barber cuts your hair - go to another one. Think your mechanic doesn't have a clue - find someone else. Just because your doctor is a doctor doesn't mean you shouldn't shop elsewhere if your not satisfied with the service they provide. A confident competent MD will welcome a second opinion. Often a fresh perspective will lead to a different diagnosis. Medicine is a team effort and anyone who tries to deny outside analsys probably is not comfortable with their practice. If you feel that is happening to you it is your responsibilty to demand a different approach. Don't feel intimidated by the system or the elite among it. Complain loud enough that someone will point you to the right people so they don't have to listen to you standing up for yourself.