Originally Posted by DocDorfman

Interesting post, but perhaps the product of your imagination? Seriously, do you really think that they announce "is there a Doctor on-board?" routinely enough to give you this many experiences? It has never occurred in my 30 years of practice. Maybe you are just lucky?

And frankly, Doctor, these matters are more often outside of our practical treatment experience and we always lack the tools for evaluation that we normally use - plus with such an announcement the aisle is going to be full of Paramedics, EMT's, RN's and other well meaning allied health care providers - all equally qualified to address the circumstances you present.

Not to mention liability for abandonment and the complete lack of Good Samaritan protections. I'm not sure what your insurance costs, but mine is enough to let the other health care professionals step up first. Pre-hospital care is not what most Doctors are good at - and other trained professionals exist with better protections, and far more experience.

You can't swing a cat on an airplane and not hit a qualified health care provider - so being a Doctor does not make me the most qualified to assess the circumstances, as given by your own examples.