I ran late the other morning. My first patient, an internal transfer, was already waiting.

Booting up my laptop seemed to take forever. Usually I try to poke around at least a little in the electronic medical record before I enter the exam room, even when I know the patient well, in order to remind myself of what we are supposed to do in today’s visit.

I decided to walk in cold because I was so late. All I did before unplugging my laptop was open the encounter note of the man I had never seen before.

I knocked on the door and introduced myself — first and last name, I only call myself ‘doctor’ with children or if I walk into a crisis-type situation where being a doctor allows or requires you to take charge.