ESL Podcast 971 - Getting in to See a Busy Doctor
GP - general practitioner; a medical doctor who provides general care to all types of patients, without specializing in certain medical problems or types of patients
Our entire family sees the same GP, because she deals well with people of all ages.
specialist - a medical doctor who provides advanced care for certain types of medical problems or certain types of patients
Dr. Drake is a heart specialist for children with heart problems.
opening - an open appointment; a slot of time that has not yet been assigned to something, so one can schedule an appointment then
Do you have any openings on Thursday afternoon?
waitlisted - put on a list of people who are waiting for an opportunity to do something, so that if another person cancels, he or she will be called
The university offers admission to the top 2,000 applicants, and others are waitlisted.
cancellation - a request to not have an appointment that was previously scheduled, usually because it is no longer necessary, one no longer needs it, or one is unable to be there at that time
The hair stylist has a full schedule today, but we'll let you know if there are any cancellations.
to endure - to suffer from something over a long period of time, but while being brave and not complaining very much
I'm not sure how much longer I can endure the sound of our neighbor's son learning to play the violin!
the best in the business - a person or business that is very good at what it does; an industry leader; the top professional providing a particular service
You'll love your hair after Raul cuts it. He's the best in the business!
physical therapist - a person whose job it to help a person recovery from an injury by learning how to move part of one's body in a way that protects and strengthens a muscle while developing great flexibility
The physical therapist has taught Shannon a lot of new ways to stretch her shoulder and increase her range of motion.
to flare up - to temporarily become much stronger, brighter, or more painful, and then return to the previous state, especially when this happens multiple times
It's common for headaches to flare up during stressful periods.
relief - a reduction in pain or a feeling of relaxation; release from a painful, tense, or stressful situation
Putting ice against the injury provides pain relief for a little while.
to fit (someone) in - to rearrange one's appointments to find time to meet with someone when one is very busy and has a full schedule
I have a lot of meetings tomorrow, but I should be able to fit you in at 10:45.
booked up - busy, with many other time commitments; unavailable
It's really hard to get a reservation at that restaurant, which is sometimes booked up for months.
podiatrist - a doctor who specializes in the human foot and ankle (bones connecting the foot to the leg)
Podiatrists recommend that women avoid wearing high-heeled shoes.
to fall apart - to no longer work properly, usually because something is very old, especially with pieces of a machine becoming disconnected
This old tractor is falling apart. Don't you think it's time to buy a new one?
expiration date - the date stamped or printed on a product to show when it will no longer be good to eat or use, because it will have spoiled
This milk smells bad, even though the expiration date isn't until next week. Did you forget to put it back in the refrigerator?