Bullshitting

I remember that we were sitting in a room analysing videoed consultations. The registrar on the video sat the patient down. “You have sacroiliitis,” she said.

We all finished watching the video, consultation technique was discussed, and then someone pointed out that the registrar couldn't possibly say that the diagnosis was sacroiliitis. All that one could say on the information presented was that the patient had mechanical low back pain.

“Oh, well,” someone else said, “We all do that.” I …