Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

Friday's Digest #126

Asking Stupid Questions

(The Doctor / Scientist Version)

Everyone says there's "no such thing as a stupid question" .

But as doctors and scientists, we're still embarrassed to ask them.

January 24th, 2025

Friday's Digest - The Newsletter for Doctors & Scientists

For two decades, I've been developing tools that have improved my practice in medicine, dentistry, and scientific research.

Join me every Friday to discover a new tool you can integrate into your workflow as a doctor, a scientist, or both.

I believe in sharing knowledge, embracing automation, boosting productivity, and finding joy in the process.

Life Update

I'm all IKEA'd out.

Moving into a new place involves two main phases: moving things from one apartment to another, and buying new things.

We're now in the buying phase.

That means lots of time in furniture stores, especially IKEA.

But we'll get to IKEA in a moment.

First, let's talk about our new dishwasher!

This is our first one!

Yes, you read that right. We've never had our own dishwasher until now.

Well, we had one back in Boston (it came with the apartment), but we've never had one in our own place.

And we're very excited 😃.

Saying goodbye to those endless piles of dishes in the sink is a welcome change.

Back to IKEA.

IKEA has become my second home in the past few weeks.

I've driven back and forth, dealt with their crappy shipping service (avoid it— trust me), and spent 25 hours assembling new furniture.

Sure, I can pay IKEA to have it assembled for me.

But honestly, I don't trust them to do it properly.

So, after spending my weekend building furniture, my hands are bruised and my neck hurts. But I'm happy with the results.

Now, all that is left is to sit on the porch with a morning coffee.

Perhaps next weekend…

Number 126!

It's stupid question time.

Tools and Tips

We all know these "stupid questions".

We all heard that "there's no such thing as a stupid question."

But when it's time to ask one, we’re too embarrassed.

Today, I want to share what I learned after asking thousands of stupid questions. As a student, a doctor, and a scientist.

Let’s dive in!

🔵 Asking Stupid Questions as a Student

We all know this scenario well: sitting in a classroom full of students and keeping quiet.

We don't want to appear stupid in front of our peers or the teachers.

But let me tell you 3 things I learned after 12 years as a university student:

First, you will REMEMBER the answer to your "stupid" question for months or even for life. You will thank yourself when exam time comes.

Second, you will make friends with other students. You'll be surprised how many students wanted to ask the same question but were too embarrassed. They'll appreciate your courage and want to connect with you.

Third, your teachers will appreciate you. Trust me. I've been a teacher for decades. These "stupid" questions are often the SMARTEST ones I've ever received.

🔵 Asking Stupid Questions as a Scientist

In science, everyone wants to appear smart.

This is especially true when you're starting as a PhD student.

But here’s the catch: It takes years to realize how scientific work depends on tiny details— exact temperature, timing, specific amounts of reagents, and so on.

And asking about these tiny details often feels “stupid”.

So you don’t ask.

And then you waste your time.

Failed experiments, endless online searches, or simply abandoning projects.

So let me tell you this— the BEST thing I did in science was to ask these "stupid" questions.

You should see me in lab meetings 😃.

"What is this line?"

"Why is it grey and not black?"

"Explain this graph to me like I'm a 5-year old".

What do other scientists think about my questions?

Well, I never asked them.

Many are reading this newsletter right now.

So I may finally find out 😉.

🔵 Asking Stupid Questions as a Doctor

This is quite different from being a scientist.

Why?

Because not having certain knowledge as a doctor can be really problematic— not just for your reputation, but for your professional competence.

But here's the interesting part— there are two scenarios where "stupid" questions are welcome.

First, as a first-year resident. You can ask anything at that stage.

Second, when consulting doctors OUTSIDE your field. I absolutely LOVE this one.

Whether talking with a pathologist, ophthalmologist, pediatrician, hematologist, internal medicine specialist, etc.

Because they're outside your field, they don't expect you to know everything. On the contrary, they'll respect you immensely for asking them questions.