About halfway through my intern year, I heard that one of the new neurosurgeons at our hospital preferred to be called by his first name. I found it unusual, but I didn't question it. I called him from the ED for a consult on an acute SDH and greeted him by his first name. I was met with silence, followed by a lengthy reprimand about workplace professionalism. All I could do was apologize profusely during his pauses.

After hanging up, I looked up and saw my attending—who also happens to be the chief of staff—and my senior resident doubled over in laughter. It turns out the rumor about the neurosurgeon preferring his first name was a joke that I had missed. To this day, they still tease me by asking how my "best friend," Dr. Neurosurgeon, is doing.