Phone calls & errands
How to speak up when your doctor is rushing
You’re talking to Dr. Shah, your doctor. You waited 40 minutes for a short appointment. You have one main worry and a question, and the doctor is clearly in a hurry. The goal: lead with your main concern, give the key facts, ask your question, and leave with a clear next step.
Your first line
Dr. Shah starts with “Hi, sorry for the wait. We’re running a bit behind today. So, what brings you in?”
“My main worry is that I’ve been exhausted for two months, even after eight hours of sleep, and it’s hurting my work.”
Point first: your main concern in the first sentence, with how long and what it’s affecting, before the visit starts to wrap up.
What Dr. Shah might say, and what to say back
Dr. Shah: “Okay. Anything else going on?”
You: “That’s the main one. My question is, what’s the next step to figure this out?”
Dr. Shah: “We’re a little short on time today.”
You: “I understand. Could we take two more minutes on this? It’s really affecting my days.”
Dr. Shah: “Can we come back to that at your next visit?”
You: “Okay. Can we book that visit before I leave, with time set aside just for this?”
Two things that trip people up
- A long story first, or saving your real worry for when they’re at the door.Say your main concern first: what it is, how long, and what it’s stopping you from doing.
- Downplaying it with “it’s probably nothing.”Ask your question directly, then repeat the next step back before you leave.
Now say it out loud
Reading the words isn’t the same as saying them. Practice this one with Dr. Shah pushing back like the real person would. Then your coach, Rae, fixes your exact words. The move to focus on: Point first.
Practice this one free3 free reps a day. No sign-up. Out loud or typed.