Experts Trying to Hide Deficiencies

     Health-care professionals strive mightily to become competent, then proudly display their competence - hence the popularity of specialization & sub-specialization. The more minutely specialized one's area of training, the more sought-after are one's services, and the less one is subject to criticism from patients & colleagues.
     Of course the more time & effort expended in gaining specialized competence, the less time & effort remains to acquire general life skills. As a result, most of us haven't lead a balanced life since we were kids. Physical exercise, sleep & nutrition are not the only areas in which we're deficient. See: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/search?q=maturation
     Because we become so tightly identified with the persona of "the one who knows", we become increasingly sensitive about our ignorance of the many life-skills we've ignored. This is problematic of course, not only in our family & social life, but also professionally.
     Defensiveness of our ignorance about subjects outside of our specialized area is often manifested as swaggering condemnation of basically anything outside of our own sub-specialty - the humanities, mental-health, social work, nursing, physiotherapy, spirituality, etc - are all targets. See: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/2012/07/soft-skills-undervalued.html
     Since such attitudes are politically incorrect, the condemnation happens behind closed doors - the "hidden curriculum" - it's toxic effects are part of professional socialization. See: http://healthyhealers.blogspot.ca/search?q=hidden+curriculum

     Fear of our own ignorance, hubris, and our unwillingness to step-up to acquire competence in practical wisdom, condemns too many of us to become grumbling backroom cynics - "nattering nabobs of negativity." Surely health-care professionals can rise above that!