Doctors practice in different styles, and it’s important to find one that meshes with you:

Nurses learn about styles early in their education. Doctors start to get a sense of one another’s style from handing off patients during their training. Here are some sample styles:

Anderson crosses every t and dots every i. Just when you think that’s the best way to practice medicine, one of Anderson’s patients gets a horrible complication from a test he might not have needed.

Then there’s Breymer, who thinks everything is nothing. Just when you think he’s out to lunch, you see that his patients, with a little judicious help, are getting home earlier and getting better faster than the ones waiting for that extra endoscopy.

And, finally, there’s worst-case-worrier Cramer. Sure, that chest pain is probably indigestion, but Cramer can list every hideous, chilling possibility. Her patients get the one test necessary to eliminate the worst option, then bam, find themselves back home, knowing their condition won’t kill them, and feeling better.