By Evan Falchuk

A recent study found that doctors who had patients with difficult personalities also had high levels of job dissatisfaction — and were more likely to make mistakes and give poor service. Some doctors in the study reported that between 15 and 25 percent of their patient interactions were “difficult.”

I’m no doctor, but some days 15 to 25 percent of my work interactions are difficult, too. And this is the point: Doctors are people just like the rest of us.

Normal people in bad work environments don’t do very well. It’s a reflection of the almost mythically high regard in which we hold doctors that we find it surprising that they react like everyone else does.

The more we recognize that doctors are people the better chance we have for patients and doctors to have real and meaningful communication. It’s hard to question your doctor politely if you think he is some sort of oracle.

I heard that a forthcoming study is looking at how doctors put on their pants. I’m pretty sure they do it one leg at a time.