Doctors, Doctors, Doctors (and Uninspired Titles)

As an ex-epileptic, type one diabetic who's prone to ocassional asthma attacks and grew up with shitty motorneurone skills you might be right in saying I've seen a lot of doctors in my time. At the rate I'm going I'm sure I'll manage to rack up a few more medical impedments along lifes long (or perhaps short) road.

Something I've noticed about the medical industry is how cyclic it is. Every once in while (a year or two, I can't remember) I have to go back to my GP so that he can refer me back to the doctor I see for my diabetes. Then every once in a whie I'm referred to another specialist to check up on various "complications prone" organs like my eyes or kidneys. Don't get me wrong, this isn't my usual bitch sesh, I need to ride the medical industry rollercoaster so that I can go on living and complaining about everything else.

But then there's the medical certificates. When I look at medical certificates I find myself in great confusion. On the surface it seems straightforward. People need proof that you were too sick to perform a certain task and you go to the doctor who confirms it by giving you a medical certificate. It sounds fair enough but upon closer examination it gets a bit weird. Like what if you can't get in to see a doctor right away? That's ok because the whole process is fairly relaxed about it. Doctors will usually write you up a certificate AFTER you've been sick and most places will accept certificates given to them late if they're given some sort of warning in advance. As a very recent example my brother was very ill earlier in the week and lacked the energy and fitness to attend a Chemistry Test at uni. He emailed the lecturer to let him know and then started phoning around for appointments. All the town doctors were booked solid, so he tried the university medical centre and made an appointment for a few days down the track. He said he needed a medical certificate for that day and they pretty much said "it's alright, we'll do you one that'll cover you for a few days back." So basically they're saying that, regardless of how he presents symptom wise on the day, my brother will get a medical certificate saying that he was to sick to do the test. Which I'm ok with, because he really was, but it does make the whole thing seem redundant. Well, redundant for everyone except the doctors who get paid to write out a simple note.