Lacking the common sense God gave a brussel sprout

is how a high school friend used to desribe people who were academically smart, but lacking common sense. This describes a lot of physicians.

3 months ago the NEJM had a study demonstrating a greatly increased risk of MVCs (motor vehicle collisions, they are no longer accidents) in post-call interns.

So some geniuses at my med/grad school alma mater, the University of Chicago, write a letter about their brillant solution of paying for cab rides home for those too tired to drive, as if driving is the only bad thing about exhausted doctors. To quote the next letter:

I find it shocking that one of the proposals mentioned in the article is to supply taxicab vouchers to residents after extended shifts. If these interns and residents are exhausted enough to have an accident while driving, what does this say about their ability to make life-saving (or life threatening) decisions with their patients? This is the real issue that must be addressed

Indeed. I remember from my residency days that the post-call surgical intern got the priveledge of going to the OR. Just who I want operating on me.