Are “Other Doctors Are Stupid” Jokes Appropriate?

Abstract

Humor can serve as a potent social bond, offering an easy shortcut for positive interaction in the context of fast-paced medical encounters. However, humor in clinical environments can also be wielded as a means of distancing or alienating others, often to promote the assumed superiority of the individual or group weaponizing the humor. This article explores the role of humor in promoting and potentially mitigating tribalism in medicine.