Knows the protocol by heart. Knows nothing beyond it.
This neurosurgeon has outsourced clinical judgment to paperwork. His decisions are not reasoned — they’re pre-approved. If you ask why he did something, he won’t explain. He’ll just say:
“That’s what the protocol says.”
And if it fails?
“I followed the protocol.”
He doesn’t fear mistakes — he fears accountability. He treats guidelines like armor. They don’t just guide him — they protect him from having to think.
He hides not behind a mask — but behind a PDF.
Where does it come from? A combination of fear, mediocrity, and cultural conditioning. He may have once believed in thoughtful medicine — but over time, realized that the safest path is the least original one. He learned to climb by not being wrong — even if he was never truly right.
What are the consequences? Cases are treated generically. Red flags are missed because they weren’t in the flowchart. Junior doctors are trained to follow, not to question. The art of medicine is replaced by checkbox compliance. Complex patients get protocol care — and protocol outcomes.
Dishonesty type: ⚠️ Systemically dishonest
Delegates responsibility to rules. Avoids clinical engagement in the name of “safety.”
Bottom line:
If the protocol says “jump,” he jumps. Even if the patient’s brain says “stop.”