GOMERs and PIMPs: Hospital Slang You Didn’t Know Existed

Welcome to the secret society of acronyms, abbreviations, and cheeky backroom humor — where medicine meets mischief. If you’ve ever eavesdropped on two doctors talking and wondered whether they were speaking in Morse code, you’re not alone. But hidden in the formalities of clinical documentation and patient handovers lies a lighter, often hilarious side of medical shorthand: the unfiltered, sometimes outrageous acronyms that circulate like folklore in hospitals worldwide.
Some are tongue-in-cheek mnemonics to help remember complex conditions. Others? Well, they’re just thinly veiled vents of frustration in the face of long shifts and bizarre patient encounters. In this guide, we’ll decode some of the funniest, strangest, and most surprisingly real medical acronyms you never knew existed — and we’ll explore what they say about the culture of medicine itself.
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Section 1: Why Do Doctors Create Funny Acronyms?
Medicine is a world of pressure. High-stakes decisions, emotional fatigue, and endless documentation — humor becomes a survival strategy. For many healthcare professionals, crafting humorous acronyms is a form of catharsis. It’s not about mocking patients; it’s about finding levity in the chaos. A way to connect with colleagues, decompress, and — let’s be honest — pass along stories during 3 a.m. rounds.
Plus, a funny acronym is often easier to remember. Just ask any med student who’s used “SOAP” for clinical notes (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) or “MONA” for myocardial infarction (Morphine, Oxygen, Nitrates, Aspirin). Now imagine “GOMER” walking into your ER — but more on that in a minute.
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Section 2: The Classics – Medical Acronyms with a Cult Following
Let’s start with the all-stars — acronyms that have passed down from generation to generation like cherished heirlooms of medical wit.
1. GOMER – Get Out of My Emergency Room
One of the most legendary (and controversial) acronyms out there. Popularized by Samuel Shem’s novel The House of God, “GOMER” refers to elderly patients who occupy hospital beds for non-emergency issues. While frowned upon in formal contexts, it’s a cultural touchstone in medical training programs.
2. LOL in NAD – Little Old Lady in No Apparent Distress
An absolute gem of ER documentation. The patient might be 90 and frail, but she’s smiling, eating pudding, and chatting up the nurses.
3. FLK – Funny-Looking Kid
A semi-affectionate term used (unofficially) to describe a child with dysmorphic features who may warrant a genetics consult. Sounds cruel, but often shorthand for quick clinical recognition.
4. PFO – Pissed and Fell Over
Used when describing trauma patients whose primary mechanism of injury was… well, too much vodka and gravity.
5. CTD – Circling the Drain
Used quietly among staff to describe patients in declining condition. Morbid, yes, but often a cue for escalation of care.
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Section 3: The “No Filter” Acronyms from Hospital Legends
Some acronyms aren’t exactly HR-friendly. They’re mostly shared in whispers or behind closed breakroom doors — but they exist. You’ve been warned.
6. TTFO – Told To F** Off*
This is what happens when a patient demands antibiotics for a viral infection and storms out when refused.
7. DILLIGAF – Do I Look Like I Give a F**?*
The classic burnout acronym. Sometimes scrawled (jokingly) on post-it notes behind nurses’ stations. Rarely — hopefully never — in the chart.
8. CRAFT – Can’t Remember a F***** Thing*
Used in elderly or dementia patients — or by sleep-deprived interns trying to recall what day it is.
9. NFN – Normal for Norfolk
An actual acronym used in the UK, often to describe patients presenting with unusual behavior — said to reflect local stereotypes. (Controversial, yes. Still heard? Also yes.)
10. DRIBBLE – Doing Really Impressive But Basically Lethal Exercises
A gym injury special. Comes in handy when your patient insists he was “only deadlifting 500 pounds” before the herniated disc.
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Section 4: When Humor Has Boundaries
It’s important to pause and acknowledge that medical humor — especially when it involves patients — must walk a careful line. While many of these acronyms are tongue-in-cheek, they’re rarely, if ever, written in official documentation. Most are shared in informal settings, often to lighten the mood among colleagues and foster camaraderie.
That said, the culture around these acronyms is evolving. More emphasis is being placed on empathy, patient dignity, and inclusivity. Today’s residents may laugh at these acronyms but also reflect on what they reveal about past attitudes in medicine.
Humor has its place — but so does respect.
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Section 5: New-Age Acronyms from the Digital Doctor Generation
As telemedicine and tech-savvy healthcare surge forward, new acronyms are emerging.
11. TEFRA – Too Elderly For Real Aggression
Used in palliative settings where aggressive intervention may not be beneficial.
12. WNL – We Never Looked
A sarcastic take on the real meaning: “Within Normal Limits.” Often used when notes are copied from a previous exam without actual reassessment.
13. TBAB – Textbook But Actually Boring
Describes the 18-year-old with textbook appendicitis who somehow still takes 5 hours to get a scan.
14. ALF – Acute Life Failure
No, not liver failure. This one’s code for when someone’s life is a mess — emotionally, socially, and functionally. Requires empathy and social work consult.
15. EGG – Everything’s Gone Grey
Used by older physicians when radiology is one big blur of grayscale chaos.
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Section 6: Real Acronyms That Sound Made Up
Not all funny acronyms are slang — some are real, clinically approved, and still sound ridiculous:
16. SCROTUM – Some Clinical Reason Or Test Unnecessarily Mentioned
Used to critique overzealous note-taking.
17. SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely
A goal-setting acronym that shows up in rehabilitation and discharge planning.
18. PIMP – Put In My Place
In med school culture, “pimping” refers to rapid-fire questioning by attendings. The acronym's double meaning is... unfortunate.
19. TUBE – Totally Unnecessary But Entertaining
Applied to strange imaging orders or consults that make little clinical sense but are amusing nonetheless.
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Section 7: The Role of Humor in Clinical Culture
At its core, these acronyms represent more than sarcasm. They are markers of an internal culture — one built around survival, connection, and storytelling. They reveal how doctors and nurses cope with a system that often asks the impossible: be perfect, be compassionate, and don’t crack under pressure.
Humor, even the irreverent kind, becomes a bridge between professionalism and humanity. It fosters team cohesion, relieves stress, and brings a bit of levity to the darkest days.
Of course, professionalism always takes priority. But if a tired resident chuckles at “LOL in NAD” after a 30-hour shift, maybe it’s okay to let a little laughter in.
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Conclusion: Medicine’s Secret Language
Medical acronyms are like fingerprints — every hospital, specialty, and generation has its own set. Some make us laugh. Others make us groan. A few remind us of how far medicine has come.
Whether you're a curious patient, a med student trying to decode the doctor's lounge, or a fellow clinician looking for a chuckle, one thing is certain: you’ll never look at medical shorthand the same way again.