Who wouldn’t want to date a doctor? They’re smart, driven, and good at, well, playing doctor. But you have to make it clear you’re worth their incredibly limited time. We spoke with Jessica Martinez, M.D., Hailey Falles, M.D. and Michelle Gardner, M.D — all single lady doctors, practicing in California and Pennsylvania — and got their opinions on the best prescription for winning an appointment. An apple a day keeps the doctor away — and so does saying the wrong things. Here’s what you need to know before trying to talk a medic out of their scrubs. Change Your Definition Of “Weekend” Hailey: “I work in Emergency Medicine, so my schedule is all over the place. My days off fall on some random Tuesday/Wednesday, and never on the more convenient dating days.” Jessica: “Odd work hours definitely impact my dating life.” Michelle: “It takes a guy with an easygoing attitude to date a doctor without feeling like they are playing ‘second-fiddle’ to her demanding, time-consuming and emotionally draining job.” Have A Strong Stomach Jessica: “I once was on a breakfast date and we were talking about his ankle injury. I went on YouTube and found a clip of a live ankle operation, only to realize how difficult it was for him to watch, especially while eating. I had forgotten that images of bodily fluids and internal organs can be hard for the non-medical person to stomach.” Hailey: “All of my conversations revolve around urine, blood and feces, so it makes my ‘outside the hospital’ conversations pretty awkward.” Be A Good Listener Jessica: “You should enjoy learning new things. A doctor will come home with fresh stories to share every day.” Michelle: “It helps if you can provide some sense of solace when she comes home feeling like the weight of the world is on her shoulders.” Offer Something That Other Doctors Can’t Hailey: “A lot of my co-workers are dating or married to other doctors, I think because they can really relate to what you’re going through. Dating a non-doctor…really pulls you back to reality and forces you to realize that medicine is not the only thing in life; it’s easy to get too caught up in your work.” Michelle: “Dating another doctor means not having to explain why you are at work for 16+ hours or what it feels like to lose a patient, or to deal with families or patients who are non-complaint to your recommendations. Dating outside the medical field is good because it adds a depth and breath to the relationship by having a multitude of things to talk about. I think it also broadens your horizon and view of the world.” Be On Your Type A Game Michelle: “Doctors are goal-driven, ambitious and passionate about anything they set their mind to.” Hailey: “The classic ‘Type A’ personality is pretty common among us. Even the laid-back ones are usually neurotic about something.” Jessica: “A lot of us are obsessive. Though, to a certain extent, I think anyone who is successful in their field has some sort of obsessive quality.” Don’t Ask If She’s A Nurse Jessica: “When I say I work in medicine, the question I get a lot is, ‘Are you a nurse?’ I feel this is an assumption that gives you an idea of the type of guy who is approaching you.” Hailey: “The most common questions I get are, ‘Why didn’t you want to be a nurse?’ ‘Did you go to nursing school before med school?’ ‘But seriously, why are you not a nurse?’” source
