# doctors make the worst patients

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/doctors-make-the-worst-patients
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

It is difficult to advise people on subjects that they are experts on.

## Examples

- My sister is a nurse, and doctors make the worst patients.
- When the dentist needed a root canal, he refused to follow his own advice because doctors make the worst patients.
- Even the most skilled surgeon often ignores medical guidance during his own recovery, proving the old adage that doctors make the worst patients.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.