why do you think doctors have bad handwriting?

Hi! I went to medical school and over the course of years, developed very poor handwriting. I started with very good handwriting -- I was actually always picked as class secretary back in the day (high school years). I believe that my handwriting got so poor because all we did was study, study, study. We wrote less. We transcribed our notes by typing them. We did not take notes anymore because it became difficult for us to keep up with the lectures, what with the lack of sleep, so we taped lectures and took turns transcribing them. During exams, we would just get multiple choice items (where we just encircle the letter of the correct answer). We got to write again when we had to take patient histories but we usually did not get too detailed. I heard that part of the training for pharmacists is to read doctors' handwriting and abbreviations. Happy myLotting!

Personally I don't get it why these proffesionals write badly too. They just write badly I think it is dangerous too because one can read it wrongly especially the medication part. I am a going to be doctor myself I hope I don't write like that when I am walking on the path. Somehow I don't think I write perfectly though my words are readable when I write slower.

Yes I have often wondered that, when you think about it I think maybe they are taking risks with peoples lives as their handwriting most times are so bad I think it would be easy for the pharmista could easily misinterpret their handwriting sometimes..

They are in a hurry or they just want to continue the notions that doctors have bad handwriting.

you're right, they are always in a hurry because they have to see a lot of patients and write a lot of notes + prescriptions. they have to be fast, otherwise they will get behind. people with medical and health care knowledge like pharmacists can figure out doctors' handwriting. good thing now with everything computerized, many doctors are starting to use computers to write prescription and either have it printed or sent it directly to the pharmacy so everything is clear

They work for so long get tired writing meds so many time so they write fast so they can finish the work fast. Even if you try to write fast your writing would be bad. There so much pressure on then so how can we expect them to care about small thing like writing when they are concerned with people's life

They have to write for speed and convenience. lol.

I always thought that doctors had to write sloppy so that no one can forge their writing? Am I correct? or not? I would'nt want someone to forge prescriptions, or any other related materials, in order to get something in the wrong way. I appreciate the unique handwritings myself.

Their handwriting is horrible sometimes.I had a friend doctor and he had the same problem.He explained me that his handwriting became bad because he studied 7 years and they had to learn lot of things, learn them quick, write down quick and he said that when you work with anatomy, human body, there's no time for reading , you must already know what to do.It's in your head.That's what he told me.